The vacant stare tells the story better than any possession statistic. Wilfried Nancy stands pitch side at Tannadice, mouth slightly agape, watching Dundee United supporters mock his expensively assembled squad. The man who left Columbus Crew for Celtic's bright lights now resembles a tourist who took a wrong turn into a Glasgow alley. His fourth consecutive defeat since arriving at Paradise isn t merely a poor start. It is a controlled demolition of institutional credibility.

Celtic s board would have you believe this was a meticulously researched appointment. Chief executive Michael Nicholson called Nancy the number one candidate. Director of football operations Paul Tisdale evidently concurred. Both assertions now smell worse than the Paisley Road after a derby defeat. Only in the delusional world of Celtic s current leadership could a manager coming off a seventh place finish in MLS eclipse thousands of qualified European applicants. How does Major League Soccer s eighth best defense translate to handling the crucible of Glasgow

The answer unfolds weekly in comic tragedy. Defensive shapes collapse faster than boardroom promises. Midfielders wander aimlessly like executives shuffling responsibility. There s systemic failure here far beyond Nancy s tactical limitations. This is about a football operation valuing nepotism over nous, relationships over resumes, yes men over qualified candidates.

Consider the architect behind this fiasco. Paul Tisdale s ascent from lower league English manager to Celtic power broker would impress alchemists. His playing career peaked at 78 appearances for Southampton Reserves. His managerial highlight remains two League Two promotions with Exeter City. Suddenly he s entrusted with hiring managers for Britain s most pressurized club His credentials for this role are thinner than Dundee s trophy cabinet. Yet here we are. Three months into this experiment, Celtic trail Rangers by eleven points. Nancy s record reads zero wins, four defeats, three goals scored. Columbus Crew s leftover problems are now Scotland s prime time entertainment.

Here s what nobody at Celtic Park wants to discuss. The Nancy Tisdale Columbus connection stinks worse than week old haggis. Nancy s Columbus assistant Kwame Ampadu worked under Tisdale at Exeter City 15 years ago. Tisdale apparently saw in Nancy what no serious European club ever did. Convenient, that. This isn t scouting. It s cronyism disguised as strategy. Universities call it professional networking. Football calls it malpractice.

Boardroom accountability should be international news. Instead, Celtic s executives engage in masterclass deflection. Outgoing chairman Peter Lawwell cites threats while escaping scrutiny for this managerial catastrophe. Nicholson dodges questions about hiring protocols that failed basic due diligence. Tisdale remains a behind the scenes enigma, shielded from media interrogation. Meanwhile, supporters direct fury solely at the dugout. Misdirected rage fuels this circus. Those who appointed Nancy, those who constructed this flawed blueprint, laugh all the way to their executive boxes.

The human collateral piles higher than Celtic s concession tally. Loyal fans who saved pennies for season tickets now watch their investment dissolve into tactical confusion. Youth prospects learning their trade absorb panic rather than principles. Club staff face job instability when inevitable cuts follow European absence. And what of Scottish football s reputation When clubs make gambles this reckless, the entire league becomes a punchline.

Historical context magnifies the farce. Compare Nancy s hiring process to Brendan Rodgers meticulous courtship in 2016. Then, Dermot Desmond personally interviewed multiple candidates over weeks. Rodgers arrived with Premier League experience, trophy pedigree, and a coherent football philosophy. Nancy s introduction felt rushed, almost accidental. As if Celtic stumbled upon a manager left unattended at Glasgow Airport and handed him training cones. When process evaporates, failure follows.

Imagine the alternative timeline. Had Celtic recruited a progressive Championship manager or an ambitious Eredivisie coach, excitement might buzz through Lennoxtown. Instead, supporters witness an American import struggling to grasp basic Premiership physicality. Nancy s post match comments become unintentional dark comedy. We are improving, he insists after conceding two goals to a relegation candidate. Keep the faith, he pleads despite zero evidence faith is warranted. These aren t rallying cries. They re hostage tapes from a drowning man.

The board s silence speaks volumes. Lawwell s imminent departure looks increasingly like a captain abandoning a listing ship. Desmond s rare public statements offer nothing but hollow reassurances. Who exactly approved this doomed managerial experiment Who signed off on Nancy s transfer targets Why has Tisdale evaded the scrutiny his disastrous judgment warrants

Solutions exist, though none are simple. Immediate action demands transparency about the hiring process and accountability from decision makers. Longer term requires restructuring football operations entirely. Until Celtic prioritize modern recruitment structures over old boys networks, mediocrity looms. Yet hope persists in fan ownership models. Groups like Celtic Trust could force necessary change if disillusioned supporters mobilize. Passive acceptance feeds this incompetence.

Across Glasgow, another club demonstrates proper succession planning. Rangers transition from Steven Gerrard to Giovanni van Bronckhorst to Michael Beale maintained continuity despite changing managers. No chaotic scrambles for unproven outsiders. No secretive appointments based on personal connections. Just strategic planning with football intelligence. The contrast could not be more damning.

Let us address the uncomfortable truth Nancy likely never qualified for this role. His MLS achievements, while respectable, mirrored many managers routinely sacked across Europe. Eight MLS managers left their posts this season alone. Nancy s worst finish with Columbus Crew earned him Celtic s courtship. This isn t just a poor hiring decision. It is administrative arrogance of astronomical proportions.

Supporting Celtic once meant embracing a culture of excellence woven through Lisbon Lions legacy and Fergus McCann s saving vision. Today it means accepting whatever experiment bored executives concoct. That s the real disaster here. Not Nancy s winless streak. Not even Tisdale s shockingly bad judgment. The tragedy is how willingly Celtic exchange their soul for boardroom yes men and their pet projects.

Change must come before irreversible damage occurs. Either Celtic s leadership demonstrates awareness or fans force transformation. But time dwindles like Nancy s credibility. Aberdeen visit this weekend threatening Celtic s last shreds of dignity. Should they leave victorious, Nancy s position becomes untenable. Yet sacking the symptom solves nothing when the disease festers upstairs.

Sixty thousand voices used to shake Paradise on European nights. Now they whisper uneasy questions about what remains of their club s soul. Empty seats may soon outnumber banners if this continues. Because supporters understand something Nancy never will. Celtic isn t just a football club. It s the pride of generations. To treat it as Paul Tisdales playground for whimsical appointments isn t just bad management. It s sacrilege.