The striker is on the comeback trail in a major boost for Wilfried Nancy
Celtic star Kelechi Iheanacho(Image: SNS Group)
Wilfried Nancy has revealed Kelechi Iheanacho is inching closer to a return as Celtic gear up to take on Roma.
Iheanacho has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury in October’s Europa League clash with Sturm Graz. But the Nigerian frontman, 29, is back in full training and was an unused sub in Sunday’s 2-1 home defeat to league leaders Hearts.
Nancy insists he won’t rush the ex-Man City and Sevilla striker back into action but hinted he could have a part to play against Roma. He said: “He has trained well. After that, he needs minutes. It has been a long time, two months since he really played.
“The way we work the players who have not played regularly we try to get them through physical work to get back into the rhythm.
“For the moment obviously he is not fit to play a lot of minutes but a few minutes, yes. I have to understand that also in the past they did not rotate much. So I have done my work on that. I believe we have the players to do that but it has to be step by step.”
Meanwhile Nancy insists he won’t waste any time flying into a rage over criticism of his trainers or his tactics board.
The Celtic boss has taken flak on the back of Sunday’s Premiership defeat to Hearts – with Record Sport columnist Ryan Stevenson among those taking aim at the Frenchman’s green gutties and use of a coaching aide on the touchline.
Nancy insisted he’ll block out the noise – as his focus is on bouncing back in Thursday’s Europa League clash with Roma. He said: “It is part of the job. Maybe they are going to say something different. Understand me well, don’t think that I am invincible.
“It is not the point. But the job that I do everyone can talk about, simple as that.
“So why am I going to waste my time worrying about that? If I read a comment where somebody attacks me personally, I am going to lie if I tell you that doesn’t touch me.
“I am a human being, simple as that. But I decided to shut down everything. If people want to tell me that in my face it is okay. This is the way.
“Again, the most important thing is to control what I can control here. I know what this club means for the fans, I know the history of the club, I know the passion from the support here and I respect that.”
Nancy has been caught up in a social media storm on the back of his Parkhead bow at the weekend.
But the 48-year-old revealed he will pay no attention to the internet snipers.
He said: “People have the right to talk. I am going to dress one way, maybe they’ll say they don’t like the way I dress. I don’t waste time on that. If I use it (the tactics board) it’s because it’s good for me. I’m not saying I’ll use it all the time. I will be honest. When I had the opportunity to become a coach, I always told myself to cut everything.
Derek McInnes looks on as Wilfried Nancy shows his tactics board to Callum McGregor
“This what I did. I cut everything on Twitter regarding my name, the club, what people can say.
“They have the right to say something. This is part of the job.
“After that I’m not here to comment on everything. We can go to the restaurant and you say you don’t like the food, but I like it.
“At the end of the day, this is part of the job and I control what I can control with the players I work with to maximise our chances to win games with good performances. Again, I respect people. And criticism is part of my job.
“But they don’t know what I want to do on the pitch, except winning. So I cannot compete with that.
“Am I going to write to all the people and ask them why are they talking about me like that? No.
“I am not saying I am happy with criticism and when someone comes to tell me that.
“But there are two ways to handle it. You either ignore it. Or you take it.
“The thing is, we are all different in the background. I do my job and I do the best that I can. After that we will see.”
