Days on from a sixth loss in eight matches, Celtic head coach Wilfried Nancy has officially been sacked by the club after less than two months in the dugout.

A 3-1 loss against their Glasgow rivals at Parkhead on Saturday was his fourth defeat in six Scottish Premiership games, and that was enough for the club to decide to move on from him.

From the outside looking in, some may wonder if the former Columbus Crew manager was given enough time to implement his ideas after joining midway through the season.

Why Celtic were right to sack Nancy

After the loss to Rangers, Chris Sutton said: “It’s not working. I think he’ll be fortunate to survive this. People say, ‘well, it’s not Wilfried Nancy’s fault’, and maybe it isn’t, but the club have to be really decisive.”

He added: They can’t hang around in terms of getting players in, but if they want to stick with Wilfried Nancy, and I’m not so sure that they should, because there’s probably a guy out there where they’d stand a better chance of winning the Premiership with.”

Nancy is the only Celtic manager in the club’s history to lose their first four matches in charge of the club, and the first to lose six of their first eight competitive games in the dugout.

It is a historically bad start for a head coach at a club that is built on short-term success. The Hoops should not need to spend months and months on a project because they should be winning trophies every season.

The comments of Luke McCowan in the interview above were astonishing. Perhaps the raw emotion after such a loss came across too much, but he stated that the manager needed to react to the changes that Danny Rohl made at the break, and his reaction to a question about backing Nancy is damning.

With all of this in mind, the Premiership champions were right to part ways with him. Now, they must find an upgrade on the Frenchman, and it should not be Martin O’Neill.

EFL manager could be a big Nancy upgrade for Celtic

Despite seven wins in eight games as the interim manager, the Hoops should still be looking for the manager who can lead them in the future, as well as in the here and now.

That is why they should look past O’Neill as a possible replacement for Nancy, because an interim until the end of the season only delays the inevitable.

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Instead, they should revisit the reported interest that they had in Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna prior to Nancy’s arrival, as he was reportedly one of their targets to replace Brendan Rodgers.

The Northern Irish boss, who was described as “incredible” by Tractor Boys winger Wes Burns, would have to be tempted to part ways with the English side in the midst of a promotion battle, though, which is one possible obstacle in the way of hiring him.

If the Hoops could convince McKenna to make the move to Parkhead, it would be a “huge coup”, as journalist Pete O’Rourke said at the time of the initial link, because of his work with Ipswich.

The former Manchester United youth coach has taken the Tractor Boys from being a mid-table League One team to competing for a return to the Premier League, after being relegated from the top-flight last term.

Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich career

Season (games managed)

League position

25/26 Championship (25)

2nd

24/25 Premier League (38)

19th

23/24 Championship (46)

2nd

22/23 League One (46)

2nd

21/22 League One (23)

11th

Stats via Transfermarkt

To go from an 11th-place League One finish, when he joined midway through the season, to earning back-to-back promotions shows that he can galavnise a club and take them to the next level, and the level after that.

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He may not have a title under his belt, which Celtic supporters may question, but he has achieved his success with a team that is not expected to be competing for titles, yet he has still had them challenging at the very top, which speaks to his tactical and motivational skills.

Bringing in a manager who has proven that he can lift a team and achieve unexpected success could be exactly what Celtic need to save their season after a dreadful run of results that has left the side in a difficult spot.

On top of his success with Ipswich, the Northern Irish boss also favours a 4-2-3-1 formation, per Transfermarkt, which means that he would play a formation more suited to what Celtic are used to, having played 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 under Rodgers, O’Neill, and Ange Postecoglou, instead of the 3-4-2-1 system that did yield success.

Related Better signing than Rossi: Celtic have "clinical" £6m ST on their radar

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Therefore, McKenna could come in as an upgrade on Nancy, who has endured a disastrous spell in the dugout so far, if the club can get him to ditch Ipswich in the middle of a promotion chase.

Newcastle United are now set to launch an enquiry to sign a talented Ligue 1 defender this month, according to recent reports.

Howe admits "season-defining" month for Newcastle

It’s a crucial time for Newcastle. Not only must they get results on the pitch, but they must also get things right in the transfer market. They’ve got unfinished business after hosting a late show in the summer and new sporting director Ross Wilson has the chance to get off to the perfect start this month.

Even Eddie Howe couldn’t escape how important this month is, admitting that it will be “season-defining” for Newcastle before having his say on potential incomings.

He told reporters: “Marquee signing, I don’t know quite what that means – I suppose you’re talking big financial outlay?

“I don’t think that’s the desire in this month for various reasons, because I don’t think it’s a great month necessarily to make that kind of signing.

“Any signing that we do make in this window will restrict our ability to do business in the summer, so I think we’ve got to be really careful that we make the right decisions for the here and now and for the future.

“We’re still in that position where PSR will influence every decision that we make, so that’s where we have to be really smart. I don’t think that’s necessarily the wish in this month, but I think our injury situation to a degree will impact what we do and don’t do.”

Related Not just Gordon: Howe must bin Newcastle star who "doesn't look interested"

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If smart is the way to go, then the Magpies should expect to welcome reinforcements who are available at the right price and in a position to make an instant impact such as Bazoumana Toure or perhaps even Dayann Methalie.

According to Craig Hope reporting on Friday lunchtime, Newcastle are set to enquire about signing Methalie from Toulouse in an attempt to strengthen their defensive depth.

Newcastle set to launch Methalie enquiry

Still just 19 years old, Methalie is far from the finished product but could at least provide some competition for Lewis Hall by arriving this month.

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As Newcastle’s injury issues continue, the teenager may not be short on opportunities at St James’ Park, either, and that should be the selling point for a player yet to reach his full potential.

League stats 25/26

Methalie

Hall

Minutes

1,160

792

Interceptions

11

13

Tackles Won

19

17

Ball Recoveries

56

44

One look at the numbers and it becomes easy to see why Newcastle are interested in Methalie. The Frenchman was dubbed “one of the best left-backs in Ligue 1” and described as “powerful” by Get French Football News journalist Alfred Frank last month. Now, he could be on his way to Tyneside.

It’s currently unclear how much Toulouse will demand to sell their left-back, but it’s a deal that Newcastle should be all over if the right price emerges this month. Howe needs depth across his backline and Methalie would offer exactly that.

Journalist Dean Jones believes West Ham would need to spend big to lure Aston Villa star Philippe Coutinho to London, GiveMeSport report.

The Lowdown: West Ham links

Once labelled as ‘phenomenal’ by Roberto Firmino, it is no surprise Coutinho has been a regular under Steven Gerrard since joining on loan in January.

He’s contributed to four Premier League goals in six appearances, starting the last five.

Villa have the option to make a loan move from Barcelona permanent in the summer, however, West Ham are now thought to be keen on the 29-year-old ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Talking to GiveMeSport, Jones had this to say on the Brazilian, admitting he is unsure where he will end up next season and believes the Hammers would need to pay ‘a lot of money’ for the attacking midfielder in the summer.

“I don’t know where I see Coutinho right now. I think West Ham will be mindful of what they’re signing in Coutinho, if they were to go down that path, because it would take a lot of money.”

The Verdict: In Villa’s hands…

Coutinho has already started as many league games for Villa as he did for Barcelona this season, with Gerrard making the player a key man once again.

On that basis, you’d like to think that Coutinho will be open to making his move in the Midlands permanent over the coming months. However, it doesn’t exactly come as a shock to see other clubs being linked with Coutinho following his eye-catching displays in a Villa shirt against Manchester United and Leeds.

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Villa appear to be in pole position for a permanent move, though, so hopefully, the Hammers don’t persuade Coutinho over moving to London.

In other news: Gerrard is reportedly ready to sell this Aston Villa stalwart.

Wolves have had a rather mixed bag of results so far this season, having won 12, drawn four and lost 10 of their 26 Premier League games under Bruno Lage.

In terms of their individual players, one man who has been anything but inconsistent in terms of his performances this season is Rayan Ait-Nouri.

The Midlands club originally signed the left-back on loan from Angers in October 2020 before eventually securing him on a permanent basis in last summer’s transfer window in a deal worth a reported £9.5m. Last season saw the defender make 21 league appearances and chip in with one goal and one assist along the way.

Having made an appearance in 15 league games so far this term, the Frenchman has earned him an overall performance rating of 7.12/10, making him the highest-rated player in Lage’s squad according to WhoScored. Also, it is considerably higher than the rating (6.56/10) he earned last season, showing the improvement he has made since then.

The 20-year-old has also proved himself to be a solid defensive presence for the Old Gold by making 49 tackles in the league, with an average of 3.3 per game. That is higher than any other Wolves player to have started more than two league games, and the joint-second highest in the entire league.

He has also made 15 interceptions and 22 clearances with 15 aerial duels won, showing that he has played a big part in his team’s rather decent defensive record, with just 21 top-flight goals conceded.

The youngster has also shown his manager what a threat he can be going forward, with an average of 1.9 dribbles and 1.1 crosses per game, the highest of any player currently at Molineux for both aspects.

Having been praised for his “phenomenal” performances in the past and called a “standout” player by Tim Spiers, that is certainly what the defender has been for the Midlands club this season, who have clearly made the right decision in keeping hold of him after his loan spell.

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If the £13.5m-rated gem can keep delivering strong performances for his club throughout the remainder of the season, he could well be viewed as arguably Wolves’ most important player for the 2021/22 campaign, as illustrated by his lofty WhoScored ranking.

In other news: Huge setback: John Percy shares worrying Wolves update, it’s a “big blow” for Lage – opinion

According to Belgian news outlet Nieuwsblad, there has been a transfer update out of West Ham United involving KV Mechelen goalkeeper Gaëtan Coucke.

The Lowdown: West Ham eyeing new shot stopper?

Despite possessing an option to buy Alphonse Areola from Paris-Saint Germain, who is currently on loan at the London Stadium, West Ham and manager David Moyes have been tipped to bolster their goalkeeping department.

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The most prevalent link appears to be to West Bromwich Albion ace Sam Johnstone with the Englishman running out of contract at the Hawthorns and set to leave as a free agent later this year.

However, as some news comes out of the continent, it appears Moyes and co are also weighing some low profile options.

The Latest: Coucke open to joining as West Ham eye move…

As per Nieuwsblad, KV Mechelen’s colossal 6 foot 2 shot stopper Coucke is on West Ham’s radar as they enter the fray to sign him alongside Reims and Torino.

The 24-year-old’s deal expires in 2023 with his club eager to extend, but Coucke himself knows this could destroy the chance of an ‘attractive transfer’ to West Ham or any of the aforementioned teams.

As such, Mechelen’s number one is ‘interested’ in joining the Irons, Torino or Reims as he eyes more call-ups to the Belgium national team – with his first and only one coming back in 2020.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Areola’s lack of game time overall backs that Lukasz Fabianski is mostly an touchable in Moyes’ starting eleven so signing an astutely cheap back-up could be the way forward.

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Valued at around €750,000 (£628,000), West Ham could sign a bargain capable number two for Fabianski considering Coucke is still young and has proved capable going by his one-time nod for the Red Devils international squad.

In other news: Chief sports writer: West Ham enter talks to sign ‘out of the ordinary’ £22.5m-rated star for Moyes, find out more here.

While Newcastle United do boast a fine history of producing exceptionally talented players, with the likes of Peter Beardsley and Paul Gascoigne having come through the youth setup at St. James’ Park, it would not be an unfair statement to make that the Magpies’ production line has tailed off somewhat in recent years.

Indeed, while the likes of Sean Longstaff, Matty Longstaff and Freddie Woodman are players who would appear to have a bright future in the game, not since Andy Carroll made his first-team debut back in 2006 has there been a nationwide level of excitement regarding a product of the Magpies’ academy.

However, that could be about to change, as 19-year-old attacking midfielder Joe White has been generating a great deal of attention.

Newcastle’s new Waddle?

Indeed, after handing the teenager a second-half appearance in a 2-0 win over Burton Albion back in August 2021, Steve Bruce appeared to be extremely excited about the potential of White, stating of the forward-thinking midfielder:

“He caught the eye, didn’t he? We brought him up about 18 months ago before [the pandemic] and he quietly impressed us. And, all of a sudden, they grow all of a sudden, find a yard of pace and look bigger and stronger. And he’s certainly done that. Over the last couple of games, in particular, I’ve been very, very pleased with what I’ve seen.”

However, it not only the 61-year-old impressed with the talent of the youngster, as Eddie Howe opted to hand White a new deal in January of this year, amid reported interest from Chelsea, Leeds United, Celtic and Rangers, with the 44-year-old going on to say of the midfielder:

“With Joe White, I’ve been very impressed. I saw him playing for the development squad recently, and he performed really well. He’s a talented player.”

Following the signing of his new contract, the 19-year-old was sent on loan to further his development at League Two side Hartlepool United in the January transfer window, where the teenager has already made his mark on Graeme Lee’s side, registering two assists over his seven league outings thus far.

This creativity in the final third is something that has been apparent throughout White’s progression in the youth ranks in the North East, with the attacking midfielder having scored eight goals and provided nine assists over his 33 appearances for the U18s, as well as bagging two goals and four assists over 30 outings for the U21s.

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And, while it is still extremely early days in White’s career, should he continue this level of creativity in senior football, he could very well go on to become Newcastle’s new Chris Waddle – the attacking midfielder who scored 52 goals over his five-year spell with the Magpies at the start of his own career.

Indeed, Newcastle supporters should be very excited about the 19-year-old who Howe dubbed a “very good technical player” with a “bright future” – as he could quite easily become the next big thing to come out of the North East.

In other news: £20m down the drain: “Bewildering” £40k-p/w flop has been rinsing NUFC for 254 weeks

Noel Whelan has become the latest pundit to react to an injury update on Celtic midfielder David Turnbull, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Postecoglou’s comments

Turnbull is yet to feature in green and white in 2022 due to a hamstring injury he picked up against Hibernian in the Scottish League Cup final in December.

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The 22-year-old was a regular prior to the injury, making 34 appearances in all competitions under Ange Postecoglou.

The Celtic boss confirmed last week that the plan was for the attacking midfielder to return to full training this week and even refused to rule Turnbull out of the game with Ross County on Saturday.

The Latest: Whelan reacts

Whelan, formerly a pundit on BBC Radio Leeds, was talking to FI regarding Turnbull and his return to training. He labelled it as ‘like having a new signing’ and said it was ‘really exciting news’ for the Hoops.

“He really hit the ground running at Celtic but has been out for quite some time now.

“Turnbull was their shining light through a really bad period at the start of the season. But now, he’s coming back into the fold at exactly the right time.

“Postecoglou will need these players and these numbers in his ranks if Celtic are chasing a goal. It’s like having a new signing, it’s really exciting news.

“The run-in will be so difficult but to have that quality change of personnel could be the difference.

“He’s someone that the Celtic fans are really excited about, and I can see why. He’s a brilliant young player for them.”

The Verdict: Ange to be cautious?

We are entering the crunch stage of the campaign, with the Hoops still on course for a domestic treble in Postecoglou’s first season.

It is obviously brilliant news knowing that Turnbull was due to join in training at Lennoxtown this week, however, it may make sense for the manager to ease him back into action.

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You’d expect there is a better chance of a full return to competitive action against Rangers following the international break, but it looks as if Celtic’s main creative star will play a key part in the final months of the season, and who knows, Kyogo Furuhashi may not be far behind.

In other news: Sky Sports man drops fresh Celtic takeover claim regarding £150m man. 

Signing a central defender is understood to be one of Southampton’s main priorities heading into the summer transfer window, as revealed by The Athletic’s David Ornstein and relayed by Dan Sheldon via Twitter.

The Lowdown: Saints’ defensive record

The Saints have maintained a reasonably balanced record so far this season. Out of their 29 top-flight matches so far, they have won eight, drawn 11 and lost ten.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side have netted 36 goals this term, whereas defensively they have the eighth-worst goal concession record in the Premier League, being breached 45 times.

Only recently has conceding become a more prominent issue for Southampton. In their last four games in all competitions, they have let in 12 goals, with just three scored at the other end – and three of those matches were at St Mary’s.

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The Latest: Saints targeting centre-back

Ornstein reported for The Athletic that centre-back is viewed as a transfer priority during the summer for Hasenhuttl at Southampton.

Sheldon duly shared a link to his colleague’s article via Twitter, with an added caption of: “Southampton’s plans for the summer transfer window are starting to take shape. Signing a central defender is thought to be one of their priorities.”

The Verdict: One in…one out?

The Athletic claimed that, whilst Southampton are keen on signing a new centre-back, it could mean that one of their current options may need to depart in order to make room for any incoming in that position.

The central defenders currently at Hasenhuttl’s disposal are Mohammed Salisu, Jan Bednarek, Jack Stephens and Lyanco. Furthermore, the Saints also have Dynel Simeu, who joined from Chelsea last summer, and his loan deal with Carlisle United is set to expire at the end of May.

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Therefore, if Hasenhuttl does choose to bring someone in to strengthen that position, it is likely that the squad will be reshuffled to accommodate the new arrival. With Lyanco and Stephens featuring only sporadically this season, they could be fearing for their futures at the club if another centre-back is brought in.

In other news: Southampton are confident of keeping this young gem

The knowledge of essential football betting terminologies is crucial for placing successful wagers. In addition, football is quite a popular sport for betting. So, arm yourself with some easy and informative football betting terms.

Football is one of the most straightforward games in the world. But, of course, nominal terms and their meaning can help you understand and bet on games. In addition, nearly 40 % of all money wagered by bettors is spent on this game in the UK.

Fortunately, you can bet on football easily as https://betting.com/gb/tips/football lists all the betting predictions. In addition, it has a complete guide on how to bet on football successfully. It lists all the best online betting sites, compares odds and reviews them all. A beginner or an experienced one, you will take away valuable knowledge from the site. So, explore the world of football betting with the website. Now, let’s have a look at some basic and straightforward football betting terms:

Stake

The easiest and essential term, it’s the amount of money you place on a bet. You’re going to lose your stake if you lose the bet.

Accumulator bet

It’s a very thrilling bet, just like parlays. For example, you’ve to win all the different matches on the same ticket if you want to win the bet. A single defeat of a single team will make you lose the total bet. These types of bets make a high payroll, and it’s very risky as well as advantageous.

No Goal no Bet

It’s a unique football bet where your team has to wait until it scores first or the last goal. The first or last goal must be of your team. For example, you will get your stake if the match draws as Leeds United and Brentford ended in a draw.

Team to go Through

This bet is on which game will go to the next round. It’s generally practised in knockout tournaments such as the champions league. This is critical for some players when there is a chance a game will go to extra time. If it’s a draw in 90 minutes. It also protects bets in penalty shootouts.

H2H Betting

It’s a unique setting in which the two teams are not competing. Instead, both the teams may be paired up with other groups. The bet is settled by analysing both the team’s performances. The margin will decide who wins the bet.

24 Hour Rule

If the match gets postponed under any circumstances, the bet will be valid for 24 hours. After 24 hours, the chance will become null and void.

Half Time/Full Time

This lets you predict the winner of the game at halftime. So you could anticipate a draw at halftime but for the home team to win by full time.

90 Minute Betting

This bet is usually on the individual players. You may have bet on the top goal scorer. But, if the player doesn’t show up in a 90 minutes match, the bet is called off.

Conclusion

The football team is getting ready for the football stadium in Qatar for the FIFA world cup. With such excitement around the corner, you must prepare for ultimate adventurous football betting.

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You must explore and dive into the world of thrills with football betting and make monetary benefits. Learning the basic knowledge of football terms and experience will let you grow and make you crazy about the sport.

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Manchester City are now the “leading contenders” to sign a Premier League star who Pep Guardiola loves, according to recent reports.

Man City leading the race to sign Premier League star

Just as the Premier League title race begins to heat up, Man City are seemingly ready to turn towards the transfer market. As things stand, the Citizens sit just two points behind Arsenal, who needed a last-gasp winner to defeat bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out.

Pep Guardiola’s side have been here before up against Arsenal and will simply be waiting for their moment to strike once again. They’re certainly in the form to challenge for the title too, having eased past Crystal Palace last time out courtesy of more goals from Erling Haaland and Phil Foden.

With the January transfer window fast approaching, City have picked the perfect time to get back to their best. Unlike this time last year, there will be no panic buys from those at the Etihad. Anyone that does arrive will be due to a strategic move towards potential Premier League glory rather than a desperate need for reinforcements.

As such, several rumours have already emerged ahead of 2026 which surround the likes of Daniel Munoz and Antoine Semenyo. Recent reports have claimed that City are now in the race to sign Munoz in a move that would finally welcome a natural right-back to Guardiola’s side.

Meanwhile, according to Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas, Man City are now the “leading contenders” to sign Semenyo in the January transfer window, jumping ahead of both Manchester United and Liverpool. Only two players have scored more Premier League goals than the Bournemouth star this season and there’s no doubt he’d only increase City’s title chances.

Why Man City are so keen on "extraordinary" Semenyo

When Man City last won the Premier League title in the 2023/24 campaign, Semenyo would not have been the type of winger on their shortlist. Guardiola aimed for intricate players who kept things ticking rather than dominant goalscorers out wide. That’s why City splashed out to sign Jack Grealish many moons ago.

Related Man City preparing move for £28m English star after direct request from Pep

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The Premier League has since changed, however. Goalscoring wingers and more physical players are now back in fashion, hence why Semenyo has emerged straight onto City’s radar. Guardiola will be well aware that it’s either adapt or get left behind in England’s top flight and he is not willing to let Arsenal race away that easily.

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Signing Semenyo won’t come cheap after Bournemouth slapped a £65m release clause in his most recent contract, but praise from Guardiola himself suggests that he’s not one that the Spaniard will want to miss out on.

With a goal at Old Trafford in Bournemouth’s frantic 4-4 draw against Man United on Monday night, Semenyo is doing everything right if he wants to earn the approval of those at the Etihad.

Pep has unearthed his new De Bruyne in "generational" Man City star