Wilfried Nancy has questioned the mentality of his Celtic players as he bids to solve the set-piece frailty which has been a ruinous feature of his disastrous start as boss.
The Frenchman insists he is prepared to bear the brunt of criticism coming his team’s way after losing the first four games of his tenure.
But Nancy says the players also have to take responsibility for the cheap concession of goals which has plagued them since he replaced interim boss Martin O’Neill two and a half weeks ago.
In the four defeats, against Hearts, Roma, St Mirren and Dundee United, five of the 10 goals scored against Celtic have come from corner kicks.
The issue was in sharp focus again at Tannadice on Wednesday night as United scored twice in the space of three minutes from corners as they came from behind for a 2-1 win which intensified pressure on Nancy.
‘This is one of the most difficult things as a manager,’ said the 48-year-old. ‘Because set pieces, this is not about technique or tactics, this is mental.
Wilfried Nancy tries to get his message across to players during 2-1 defeat at Tannadice
The Frenchman is frustrated with the cheap goals his team are conceding from set-pieces
Nancy has a brief word with Celtic skipper Callum McGregor during the Tannadice game
‘This is 10 seconds (of play) and we have conceded a lot with that. I think that, against Dundee United, we were good on the first contact (at corners) but on the second contact or third contact, we struggled a bit.
‘Before that (in previous games), we were not good on the first contact. So, again, this is tough to concede like this, because I think we deserve better. But the reality is for the moment we conceded many goals that way.
‘That’s why this is tough because, if we concede (from open play) during the game, I don’t talk the same way. But, at this moment, we concede like this and that’s why for me it’s difficult to explain to you what I feel. Because I really feel that we did well but, at the same time, we conceded like this.
‘For me, my job is to help the players find solutions to win games. And I think that, on Wednesday, we were close to doing it.
‘To be honest, I have nothing to tell them that they did bad, but the three minutes we conceded, it was difficult emotionally to come back. But we came back, we hit the post, we had two or three clear chances.
‘Yeah, this is tough. I told the players, I’m going to take the flak. I’m going to take it because this is my job. But we also have to be better.’
Celtic remain six points behind leaders Hearts in the title race, with a game in hand on the Gorgie club, and are three points ahead of third-placed Rangers.
With some supporters already calling for him to be sacked, Nancy faces a crucial fixture at home to Aberdeen on Sunday as Celtic bid to avoid losing five consecutive games for the first time since the infamous 1947-48 season when they avoided relegation on the last day of the league campaign.
Agony for the Celtic players as Krisztian Keresztes equalises for Dundee United
Celtic were then floored as Zac Sapsford turned the game around for United with winning goal
The former Montreal and Columbus Crew manager’s adherence to his favoured 3-4-3 formation, under which the players have looked largely uncomfortable so far, is unlikely to change.
Nancy defended himself against accusations of tactical inflexibility and insisted he is constantly making in-game tweaks to the set-up of his team.
‘I get the question but, if you watch all the games that we play, all the time I adjusted something,’ he said.
‘Against Dundee United, I think what we did was interesting. With the way we attack, we had many opportunities.
‘The idea is not to stay still to this. We have improvement all the time and I have to change certain things to see players, but also to see how we can adjust with players, how we can mix players together. And I think that, in every game, I did it.
‘My job is to still do it for the next game and again and again and again. So it doesn’t change for that.
‘Every game is important. So, obviously, with the context, this is more difficult, I mean in terms of wins. But all games that I play, all games that we play are to win. This is many, many games in a row, but I knew that before coming in. This is the way it is.’
