The Parkhead icon has defended the Frenchman from criticism following his first game as Hoops boss
09:42, 10 Dec 2025Updated 19:32, 10 Dec 2025
Former Celtic Forward and Sky Sports Pundit Chris Sutton (Image: SNS Group)
Chris Sutton has fired back at fellow Record Sport columnist Ryan Steven over his savage criticism over new Celtic boss Ryan Stevenson.
The Frenchman has come in for serious flak since his dug-out debut ended in a 2-1 defeat to Scottish Premiership title rivals Hearts at Celtic Park.
Nancy raised eyebrows during the game by using a tactics board to deliver instructions to the likes of Callum McGregor and Kieran Tierney.
Ex Jambo and Record Sport columnist Stevenson took aim at the tactic, while also criticising the attire of the boss after the “stunt” of wearing green Adidas trainers during his Parkhead debut.
The league leaders left Celtic Park with a huge 2-1 win in Glasgow’s east end as Derek McInnes led his side three points clear at the Scottish Premiership summit. The fixtures don’t get any easier for the Frenchman with a crucial Europa League clash with Roma coming up on Thursday, before the Premier Sports Cup final clash with St Mirren.
And Parkhead icon Sutton and fellow Record Sport columnist Sutton hit back at Stevenson. He took to X to say: “Having a go at Wilfried Nancy for wearing green trainers and bringing out a tactics board (to try to get a message across to his players who he has barely coached ) is one of the dumbest and most backward takes I’ve ever heard…”
Ex Jambo Stevenson claimed someone behind the scenes at Celtic should step in and advise the boss. He wrote: “Someone in there should pull him aside and advise him not to take that tactics board back out there for that tie because it’s the sort of thing which will ruin him reputationally with his own supporters.
“Also, he should do himself a favour and ditch the green Adidas trainers. I mean, what was that all about? Look, if you’re the manager of Celtic you don’t need to pull stunts like that.
Celtic Manager Wilfried Nancy and Callum McGregor(Image: SNS Group)
“Either wear a suit and a shirt and tie or pull on a Celtic tracky. But present yourself as a manager, set the standards for your players and behave like a proper leader.”
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