Wilfried Nancy has been sacked as Celtic manager after just 33 days, making it the shortest managerial reign in the club's history. The Frenchman was appointed on 4 December from MLS side Columbus Crew on a two-and-a-half-year contract but lasted only eight matches, losing six. A 3-1 home defeat to Rangers on Saturday proved decisive, with Celtic leading 1-0 at half-time before a second-half collapse.
Martin O'Neill, who had previously served as interim manager after Brendan Rodgers left in October, returns to the role until the end of the season. The 73-year-old, popular with fans, had won seven of eight games during his earlier stint, moving Celtic back into title contention. His assistant Shaun Maloney also returns.
Nancy's tenure was marked by poor results: he became the first Celtic manager to lose his first two matches, suffered a Scottish League Cup final defeat to St Mirren, and oversaw a four-game losing streak for the first time since 1978. His side conceded 18 goals in eight games, more than in the previous 24 matches, and failed to keep a single clean sheet.
Celtic currently trail league leaders Hearts by six points. The club has also parted company with Nancy's assistants Kwame Ampadu, Jules Gueguen, and Maxime Chalier, as well as head of football operations Paul Tisdale, who faced criticism over player recruitment. Chairman Peter Lawwell stepped down earlier amid fan protests.
