Celtic 'working already' on January transfer deals as Wilfried Nancy's first challenge to squad becomes clear
The Frenchman was officially unveiled at Celtic Park this afternoon and has carried out his first press conference
Wilfried Nancy has confirmed that he will take some time to assess his Celtic squad before deciding which areas of the team he wants to strengthen in the January transfer window.
The former Columbus Crew head coach, who has penned a two-and-a-half year contract, arrived in Glasgow yesterday and was officially unveiled at Parkhead this afternoon ahead of conducting his first media conference.
The 48-year-old Frenchman, who succeeds caretaker boss Martin O’Neill in the hotseat, believes the current Hoops squad remain a work in progress with just a few weeks before the winter window opens.
Asked about his January transfer plans, Nancy declared: “I need to know my players better. When the moment will come for new players, we’ve been working already. But let me see, after that we will adjust.
“They are a quality team but they have to believe more in themselves. There is tactical flexibility. They are good people, the idea is to challenge them and have a desire to do well.
“I want my players to be confident but I also want them to be humble.”
Pressed further on whether he has been promised sufficient funds to strengthen the squad this winter, Nancy stated: “In each organisation, the idea is to improve. We have to assess the team. I’ve watched many games, but it’s about knowing them as a person.
“I like to take my time. We want to find the profile we need to progress.”
New Celtic boss shares Martin O’Neill words of advice
Nancy revealed he seized the opportunity to pick the brains of now departed interim boss O’Neill about recent events surrounding the club, both on field and off-field.
He added: “You know Martin better than me, I didn’t know him personally. He’s a wise guy. I was asking questions about the past, the first time, and when he came back.
“He had more pressure when he came back, because he had memories here and he didn’t want to fail. The joy of playing was back. The job is to be humble and keep going with what they did, at the same time there are nuances.”