Parkhead icon insists the champions will get it right with their new gaffer as there is no other option
18:00, 08 Dec 2025Updated 19:46, 08 Dec 2025
Callum McGregor and Kieran Tierney(Image: SNS Group)
Kieran Tierney has warned Celtic have to get it right quick under Wilfried Nancy.
But the Parkhead hero is adamant they will do so because there is simply no other option. Nancy’s first day in office ended in nightmare fashion as league leaders Hearts plundered a 2-1 win in Glasgow.
The Frenchman has been handed a testing baptism with Thursday’s Europa League crunch against Roma and Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup Final clash with St Mirren coming hard on the heels of a top-of-the-table showdown which went wrong.
Celtic entered into the Hearts encounter on a run of five-straight victories secured under the guidance of interim gaffer Martin O’Neill.
However, Nancy instantly abandoned the legend’s set-up and implemented his own style upon arrival with key personnel and system changes in a move which didn’t pay off as Hearts plundered the points.
Celtics Kieran Tierney and Hearts Tomas Bent Magnusson in action
Celtic’s new boss will be working tirelessly with the squad to iron-out flaws as soon as possible and, when asked if the message from the camp is they will get it right, Tierney responded: “Yes, 100 per cent, because we need to.
“We’re in a title race, we’ve got a cup final, we’ve got Europa League, we want to qualify through. So there’s no option.
“We need to get it right and we’ll be working and doing everything we can to do that. We’ve got work to do and we need to do it quick.”
The potential impact of the manager’s first week in the technical area on the remainder of the campaign could be huge given the enormity of the encounters which he has been thrust into for his opening experiences at the helm.
Having faced the table-toppers, the outcome of the Euro tie against the high-flying Italians could be pivotal in terms of Celtic’s attempts to qualify through to the next stage of the competition.
Then at Hampden, the first domestic silverware is up for grabs and the opportunity against Saints to snatch a trophy before the turn of the year.
Tierney knows the significance of the period, but reckons timing is irrelevant in terms of the manager’s appointment given the daily pressures at the club.
He explained: “It’s a massive week for a new manager to come in, but that’s Celtic. If he came in the week before, it was another massive week.
“That’s Celtic. There’s always big games and games you need to win, a lot of pressure.
“That’s what we as players want and thrive off, playing big games. I’m sure he’s the same and really looking forward to this week.”
Celtic’s defeat at the hands of Hearts halted a momentum which the champions had been building in the title race.
Having recovered an eight-point deficit to draw level with a game in hand prior to the visit of Derek McInnes’ team, a big chance was missed to pull clear.
Tierney was quizzed about the current state of the title race and Hearts’ ability to go toe-to-toe with the champions following their win at Parkhead and said: “We respect every opponent. They’re up there because they deserve to be up there.”
Tierney, meanwhile, reckons Scotland’s glamour World Cup draw is amazing and says the opportunity to face Brazil along with Haiti and Morocco is a magnificent achievement for his country.
Scotland’s Kieran Tierney scores to make it 3-2
The ex-Arsenal ace played an enormous role in getting Steve Clarke’s team to the Finals as qualifying-group winners.
The Parkhead star’s unforgettable, dramatic and stunning late goal in the do-or-die final crunch against Denmark set the Scots up for a win which propelled them straight into next summer’s showpiece across the Atlantic.
Clarke’s heroes have now landed a mouth-watering section and Tierney said: “Amazing. That’s why you’re part of it.
“When you saw the groups coming out, you had a feeling Scotland would be the one to draw to Brazil. But an amazing achievement for us as a country to get there. I’m sure all the fans, players and staff will be looking forward to it.”
Scotland’s opening game comes against Haiti in Boston and Clarke’s team will stay at the same venue for their second match against the Moroccans.
However, the final group game, where the Tartan titans will face Brazil in Miami, has captured the imagination of the supporters.
Tierney feels no different and said: “I think everyone, when you say you’re going to the World Cup, people say hopefully we get Brazil.
“It’s a massive tie, how good they are, how historic a country they are. So many good players. It’s one we’ll look forward to.”