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Celtic’s turbulent campaign took another dramatic twist as the Scottish giants scramble to salvage their season following one of their most disastrous managerial appointments ever.

O'Neill returns to Celtic for second time this season after Nancy disaster

Wilfried Nancy’s brief spell at Parkhead ended in humiliation earlier this week after the Frenchman won just two of his eight matches in charge, becoming the latest casualty in what has been a catastrophic season for the Glasgow club.

Nancy arrived from Columbus Crew with impressive credentials as the 2024 MLS Coach of the Year, replacing the departed Brendan Rodgers who resigned in October.

The 48-year-old then signed a two-and-a-half-year contract in early December, but lasted just 33 days before the board pulled the trigger following Saturday’s devastating 3-1 home defeat to Rangers in the Old Firm derby.

The final straw came at Celtic Park when the Hoops surrendered a 1-0 halftime lead to collapse spectacularly against their bitter rivals.

Yang Hyun-Jun had given Celtic the advantage with a fierce strike, but second-half goals from Youssef Chermiti and Mikey Moore turned the contest on its head, marking the first time in 152 home matches that Celtic had scored first and gone on to lose.

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Celtic shipped 18 goals across Nancy’s hapless eight matches in charge, with his stubborn refusal to adapt frustrating supporters who watched players regress dramatically under his management.

The dismissal came particularly harshly given Nancy replaced interim boss Martin O’Neill, who had won seven of his eight matches in charge following Rodgers’ resignation.

The stark contrast between the two spells highlighted the catastrophic nature of Nancy’s appointment, with the board also sacking head of football operations Paul Tisdale in acknowledgment of his recruitment failure.

Enter O’Neill for his second interim spell in charge this season.

The Northern Irishman returns alongside assistants Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham, tasked with stabilizing a crisis that has seen Celtic drop six points behind Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts.

Behind-the-scenes, Celtic chiefs are prepared to back O’Neill to the hilt with transfers this month.

Celtic in talks to sign Nacho Laquintana with Jocelin Ta Bi

TEAMtalk reports that The Hoops are closing in on two exciting wide players with one deal already agreed.

The club have reached an agreement to sign Ivorian talent Jocelin Ta Bi for £2 million, with the 21-year-old right-winger expected to undergo a medical in the coming days.

Ta Bi has impressed during a loan spell at Hapoel Petah Tikva from Israeli side Maccabi Netanya. His pace and directness represent exactly the kind of energetic, exciting player O’Neill needs to inject life into his forward line after the Nancy debacle left the squad devoid of confidence.

Negotiations are also progressing simultaneously for Uruguay international Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Laquintana, with O’Neill’s side actively working on a deal.

The 26-year-old currently plies his trade for Red Bull Bragantino in Brazil, and has emerged as a prime target after talks were held over the weekend. TEAMtalk indicates the player himself is keen on making the move to Glasgow.

Subscribe for in-depth Celtic transfer and manager coverage Get deeper Celtic coverage by subscribing to the newsletter: expert breakdowns of managerial shifts, transfer moves like Ta Bi and Laquintana, and what they mean for the title race—clear, club-focused insight for dedicated fans.

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Celtic are pursuing a loan-to-buy deal that would allow Laquintana to make an immediate impact while providing crucial financial flexibility.

The Uruguayan’s creativity and goal threat from wide positions make him an attractive proposition for O’Neill as he plots Celtic’s resurgence in the title race.

Both signings address critical areas of need following the tactical chaos under Nancy. The attacking reinforcements provide fresh options in wide positions where Celtic have lacked dynamism throughout a campaign that has lurched from one crisis to another since Rodgers’ October departure.

O’Neill will welcome the incoming talent as he attempts to close the gap on Hearts while simultaneously rebuilding confidence within a fractured squad.

With announcements expected imminently, supporters can anticipate a busy January.

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Tottenham Hotspur have long been regarded as one of the best-run clubs in the Premier League. Daniel Levy was nothing if not a savvy businessman.

However, on-field success left something to be desired, and the incredible Europa League triumph under Ange Postecoglou last season ended a 17-year wait for silverware, with Brennan Johnson striking the winner against Manchester United in the final.

Football does move at a relentless pace, though, and Johnson is seemingly in the process of packing his bags and leaving N17.

The latest on Brennan Johnson to Palace

Johnson, 24, scored 19 goals in all competitions for Tottenham last season, but he has fallen by the wayside under Thomas Frank’s wing, cast to the sidelines and with only two Premier League goals all year.

Given that his underlying data reveals a player struggling to produce any measure of success in creative and athletic metrics, it’s surely right that he’s shipped on, with Crystal Palace agreeing a healthy £35m fee with the north Londoners for the versatile winger’s transfer.

Johnson has yet to give the green light himself, but all the pointers suggest this one will be wrapped up in the early stages of the January transfer window, giving Spurs co-directors Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici ample time to find a replacement.

Tottenham have already missed out on Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City, but they remain ready to pounce on any opportunities that come their way.

However, there may already be an up-and-comer on the books who has the potential to far outstrip Johnson and become a superstar in the Premier League.

Spurs already have a Johnson upgrade

Make no mistake, Tottenham are going to need to dip into the transfer market for a new wide forward sooner rather than later, but in Mikey Moore, they do already have a prospect who may already offer more than Johnson.

The Welsh winger, after all, ranks among the bottom 5% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for shot-creating actions, the bottom 14% for progressive passes and the bottom 4% for successful take-ons per 90.

Moore, conversely, is regarded as a robust and energetic winger, capable, like Johnson, across both flanks and able to blend direct and creative firepower with ease. Currently on loan with Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, Moore has been cutting his teeth in a tough environment, with the Scottish giants at a low ebb.

He’s yet to establish himself as a prolific force on the senior stage, but this loan spell in Scotland will do the tricky winger the world of good, and his efforts for Tottenham’s youth set-up underscore his “superstar potential”, as has been noted by scout and analyst Ben Mattinson.

Mikey Moore – Club Stats so Far

Club/level

Apps

Goals (assists)

Tottenham U18

24

19 (13)

Rangers

21

2 (2)

Tottenham

21

1 (2)

Tottenham U21

5

2 (2)

Tottenham U19

5

0 (0)

Data via Transfermarkt

Even though his stint with Rangers has been testing at times, Gers podcaster has praised the “outrageously good” prospect for showing no fear and displaying evident technical quality.

Subscribe to our newsletter for Spurs transfer insight Explore Tottenham transfer and prospect context by subscribing to the newsletter for in-depth analysis of signings, youth talent like Mikey Moore, and how roster changes could reshape the squad. Clear, expert insight for fans who want smarter Spurs coverage.

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And his fleet-footedness has even led to comparisons with one lightning-quick former Spurs star, with Spurs writer James Harris remarking that Moore could “bring back the old Aaron Lennon” to north London.

Lennon didn’t score much, but he was a ferocious player in his heyday, so dangerous down the wings.

Given that Moore established himself in Postecoglou’s squad last season, featuring 21 times for the seniors and scoring his first senior goal in the Europa League, Frank could be onto a winner with this one, returning to London next summer with the experience to match the innate talent, ensuring Johnson is quickly forgotten.

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Neil McKenzie has replaced Boeta Dippenaar as captain of the South Africa A squad © AFP

Neil McKenzie, the Lions middle-order batsman, will captain a 12-member South Africa A squad to face West Indies in a four-day tour match starting on December 19.The A side will be looking to complete a double against visiting national teams after their 85-run win against the New Zealanders in November.However, their captain in that match, Boeta Dippenaar has not been selected for the game against West Indies after he stated his unavailability because of examinations. McKenzie had a good outing against the New Zealanders, scoring 182 and 34.Lonwabo Tsotsobe, the Warriors left-arm seamer who has impressed in the ongoing SuperSport series, has been rested at the request of Cricket South Africa’s (CSA’s) High Performance Centre. His place has been taken by right-arm fast bowler Monde Zondeki, who will be hoping to make an impact with his re-modelled bowling action.The national selection committee, headed by Joubert Strydom, also named two separate South Africa Composite XIs, comprising promising amateur and franchise players, to face Zimbabwe in the second and third matches of their Super Sport Challenge series.Zimbabwe have a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after their 10-wicket win in Potchefstroom in November.Zimbabwe are playing as a seventh franchise in the South African domestic structure for the current calendar year, as part of an initiative taken by the CSA to improve their cricket, but will not be taking part in the SuperSport series as it is already underway.South Africa A
Neil McKenzie (capt), Morne van Wyk (wk), Justin Ontong, JP Duminy, Gulam Bodi, Vernon Philander, Monde Zondeki, Johan Botha, Freidel de Wet, Charl Langeveldt, Robin Peterson (12th man)South Africa Composite XI (for second four-day match in Paarl)
Rusdi Jappie (Titans), Blake Snijman (Lions), Benji Hector (capt) (Cobras), Shaun Liebisch (Northerns), Wayne Madsen (Dolphins), Shane Burger (Lions), Wendell Bossenger (Diamond Eagles), Con De Lange (Cobras), Saidi Molongo (Dolphins) , Alan Kruger (Diamond Eagles), Brendon Reddy (Titans), Pepler Sandri (Cobras)South Africa Composite XI (for third four-day match in Kimberley)
Justin Kreusch (Warriors), Mohammed Akoojee (Diamond Eagles), Adrian McClaren (Diamond Eagles), Riaan Jeggels (Warriors), Pieter Koortzen (Diamond Eagles), Jean Symes (Lions), Wendell Bossenger (capt) (Diamond Eagles), Thandi Tshabalala (Diamond Eagles), Juandre Coetzee (Diamond Eagles), Sinethembu Mjekula (Warriors), Basheer Walters (Warriors), Frikkie Holtzhausen (Diamond Eagles)

ScorecardThings didn’t get any better for Railways as Himachal Pradesh, led by their captain Sandeep Sharma, piled on the runs and the frustration against a team fighting to gain a promotion to the Super League. Sharma batted for the better part of two days for his 161 before Sanjay Bangar finally ended his marathon knock, which came off 521 balls. Mukesh Sharma chipped in with an unbeaten 44 as Himachal extended their lead to 117 with three wickets in hand. With only two days to go, it would take a minor miracle for Railways to fight back in this one.
ScorecardPritam Das, in his first-class debut did Assam proud as his five-wicket haul helped his side gain an invaluable two run lead in the semi-final against Orissa at Cuttack. Orissa were in danger of folding up for under 200 but the last-wicket pair of Sourabha Sehgal and Sukanta Khatua resisted. Das finally brought an end to the innings after trapping Khatua for 14. Assam in their second innings were jolted first by Debasis Mohanty who picked up three early wickets and later by Sehgal, who took two late wickets in his six overs, during which he conceded just one run. With Assam ahead by just 102, both teams head to the final day evenly matched.

Battling to get sufficient accommodation for the estimated 25,000 people expected in Guyana for the 2007 World Cup, Guyana is building new hotels, upgrading existing ones and establishing bed-and-breakfast homes.Karran Singh, the chairman of Guyana’s organising committee, admitted that he was worried about the small number of approved hotel rooms for teams, officials, media, sponsors and spectators. He said: “My main concern is our ability to accommodate – not loosely accommodate – but accommodating comfortably, that’s my big worry.”But with four new hotels being built and several others being upgraded in time for the eight matches to be played in Guyana, Singh expressed confidence that Guyana would be able to make available a total of 5,000 rooms plus accommodation provided by families and friends.Donald Sinclair, director of tourism studies at the University of Guyana, who is integrally involved in planning for Guyana’s hosting of the World Cup, said authorities would shortly outline the required standards for bread-and-breakfast accommodations at privately-owned houses. “Obviously, our stock of rooms will have to be complemented by the bed-and-breakfast arrangements and this has a lot of implications for some things that need to be happening now or perhaps things that should have started earlier.”Unlike other Caribbean countries that are tourism-dependent, Guyana would also have to recruit and train hospitality workers as well as upgrade entertainment venues such as bars and restaurants to acceptable international standards, said prominent Guyanese hotelier, Shawn McGrath.A brand new stadium, with a capacity for 15,000 people, is being built with assistance from the Indian government in time for the World Cup.

Inzamam-ul-Haq: ready to bat at No. 4 again© Getty Images

Inzamam-ul-Haq has indicated that both he and Yousuf Youhana will bat up the order in the remaining one-day matches in the VB Series. Inzamam has been batting at No. 5, while Youhana has been slotted a position below that so far in the tournament.”We had dropped a place down in the batting order after analysing theproblems we were facing in Australia,” Inzamam explained. “But after reviewing the scenario now, I have no hesitation in admitting that we should have batted up the order. In the coming matches, therefore, we will bat on our originalpositions. It’s all about learning from your mistakes and moving on.” Pakistan play their next match against Australia on Sunday.Inzamam insisted that the two had dropped down so that they could holdthe innings together in case of a top-order collapse. “Our thinking wasthat if we come in the middle of the innings, we would be able to holdthe innings together in case of a collapse which we expected against afocused Australian bowling in tough Australian conditions.”But I am glad that youngsters like Salman Butt, Shoaib Malik and nowKamran Akmal proved us wrong and showed the world that they have thecapacity, talent, potential and mettle to handle the pressure and perform.”Inzamam further argued that the changes in batting positions were forced on the team as they had lost the option of playing Malik as a bowler because of his suspect bowling action. “To have a sixth bowling option, we had to play MohammadHafeez, who is also an opener. And when we decided to send Akmalas a pinch-hitter, naturally everyone had to sacrifice one position. Kamran was send up so that he could pick up some runs besides allowing us to strengthen our batting which has always remained suspect, at least in Australian conditions.”The stats show why it’s in the team’s interest for Youhana to bat up the order: in the 42 matches when he has batted at No. 3, he averages 56.77. At No. 4 he scores 38 runs per innings, while he has batted at No. 5 in 69 matches, averaging 35.81. With Inzamam, the contrast isn’t so stark – he averages 40.66 at No. 4 and 41.20 at No. 5.Looking ahead to Pakistan’s next big series, against India in February, Inzamam said that the confidence-levels of the young players would be high after their performances in Australia. “The key to success in India will be self-belief and self-confidence which the youngsters have acquired by excelling here. If you recall, Indian batsmen won the series in Pakistan because they had performed well in Australia. International cricket is all about taking the pressure and I am sure that today’s investment will benefit Pakistan cricket in years to come.”

Pakistan might have won the first Test at Karachi, but all the gains went to Bangladesh. To push Pakistan into the fifth day was an excellent effort on their part, especially after their hapless showing of the last few months. Pakistan’s performance, on the other hand, left a lot to be desired.Bangladesh batted with a new-found grit and determination, especially in the second innings. Shoaib Akhtar was not allowed to rip through the batting order, and Rajin Saleh and Habibul Bashar handled his extreme pace with remarkable ease. Saleh, the talk of the town on his debut, is a player to watch out for – he has a good technique and can stay at the crease for long periods of time without getting flustered.Dav Whatmore, who took over as coach just before Bangladesh’s series against Australia, has already made an impact on his side. Whatmore was instrumental in converting one Asian minnow into a top team – he coached Sri Lanka to the 1996 World Cup. Bangladesh might be a different ballgame, as he recently explained in an exclusive interview to Wisden CricInfo, but he has begun well.One of Whatmore’s biggest worries will be the bowling. Mashrafe Mortaza troubled the Pakistani batsman and Mohammad Rafique was economical, but the rest lacked penetration. Bangladesh do not yet have the ability to take 20 wickets in a Test, and Khaled Mahmud hardly leads by example. He doubled his tally of Test wickets in this game, but his bowling average still stands at 244. The cricket academies back home need to breed genuine pace bowlers – and a quality legspinner would do quite nicely as well.Pakistan do not have much cause for cheer. Their fielding was atrocious – a major reason for Pakistan’s lack of success in the longer version of the game is their inability to hang on to chances in the slips. The bowlers, as a result, concentrate on getting batsmen out bowled or lbw and are taken for runs when they drift onto the pads. This Test was no exception, as Taufeeq Umar dropped a sitter in the first innings and Yasir Hameed bungled a simple chance offered by Habibul Bashar in the second. Bashar was then on zero – he went on to make 108.The batting, with the exception of Yasir Hameed’s centuries, was ordinary. The shot selection by Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar was awful. Pakistan must sort out its opening combination quickly, as neither Hafeez nor Taufeeq seem to possess the technique to succeed against better teams. The Bangladesh attack was modest, yet Pakistan managed just 346 in the first innings on a docile pitch.The only positive to come out for Pakistan was the impressive performance of 25-year old Hameed. He had shown a glimpse of his talent in the one-day internationals that preceded this Test, but had failed to convert any of his starts. He showed great composure and concentration and worked his way to two centuries on debut, only the second player to achieve that feat. However, it would be too early to say that Pakistan’s worries over the crucial No. 3 slot are over. Pakistan has a penchant for discarding players after the odd appearance in a Test match, and Hameed will have to prove himself against better teams.The pitch at Karachi was pathetic. Pakistan’s strength lies in its pace attack, and the pitches prepared for a home series should be lively, with an even covering of grass. The Karachi pitch offered no assistance to Pakistan’s fast bowlers, and neutralised the home advantage they had. It may not matter against Bangladesh – it will against better teams.Final day Bulletin

Brian Lara’s chances of regaining fitness in time for West Indies tour ofPakistan looked slim on Tuesday morning after a hairline fracture wasdiscovered in his elbow.The star left-hander had dislocated his elbow in a collision with MarvanAtapattu whilst batting on Saturday in Kandy.Initial x-rays – taken in Kandy, contrary to false reports that said he wasairlifted to Colombo – allayed fears of a fracture and Lara was expected tobe sidelined for 4-6 weeks.But on Monday the left-arm started swelling and Lara was taken off for asecond batch of x-rays in Colombo, which revealed the hairline fracture inhis elbow joint.”It was always our intention to seek a second opinion upon our return toColombo and it has now been diagnosed that there is definitely a hairlinefracture at the elbow joint,” team manager Ricky Skerritt confirmed.Skerritt expects the fracture to prolong his recovery period and jeopardisehis chances of touring Pakistan, if the West Indies Cricket Board give thego-ahead to the tour scheduled to start at the end of January.”After resetting the cast around the repaired joint, it is now suggestedthat Lara would be out of cricket for much longer than was at first thought,for an extra two weeks and for no less than six weeks in all, perhapslonger, depending on healing.””Brian will be having yet another MRI examination on Tuesday afternoon toconfirm all this, plus to see what progress in the healing process has beeneffected.”What this means is that Brian Lara is effectively ruled out of the nextscheduled West Indies tour of Pakistan, if and when, that takes place.”Lara was to stay with the team during the remaining days of the tour but hehas now been booked on an early direct flight to London before West Indiestake on Sri Lanka in the final of the LG Abans tri-series on Wednesdayafternoon.

In farcical proceedings at the Asgiriya International Stadium today,Nepal qualified for the Super League by virtue of a 14 run victoryagainst a devastated Kenyan side.Having bowled out Nepal for 107, Kenya contacted The ManagementCommittee of the U-19 World Cup to clarify what was required for entryinto the Super League. They were told that they needed to score theruns in just 17 overs. Thus the coach informed the players to attackthe bowling right from start. In the rush to score quick runs, Kenyalost early wickets. Reduced to 44-5 in the eigth over, the coachinformed the players to bat normally. It was too late. Kenya waseventually bowled out for 93.However the regulations state that when points are equal, the firstdeciding factor should be the number of wins. If Kenya had won, theywould have gone through to the Super League. Whilst the Kenyamanagement will have to share some of the blame for this unfortunateincident for not clarifying the position earlier, The ManagementCommittee too will have to accept responsibility for giving erroneousinformation at a such a crucial moment.In another extraordinary incident, a Nepalese bowler broke the wicketin his delivery, dismissing Halali for a duck. When asked whether suchan act was in the spirit of the game the Nepalese manger said, “technically such a dismissal is out. You have to understand such anaction in a game of this importance.”However the batsmen was not warned first. Secondly the bails werebroken with his right hand. Being a left arm bowler the Law stipulatesthat the left hand must break the wicket.Nepal will now face England, Sri Lanka and either India or NewZealand.

Sri Lanka coach Marvan Atapattu said Lasith Malinga’s lack of penetration, and the bowlers’ failure to execute plans has paved their path to decline, though the plans themselves remain robust.Sri Lanka had run hot in the first six months of 2014, winning all of their limited-overs tournaments, including an Asia Cup, a World T20 and an ODI series in England. However, they have been much poorer since January this year, losing bilateral series against New Zealand and now Pakistan, in addition to losing a quarter-final at the World Cup.

‘Shehzad played exceptionally’ – Azhar

Pakistan captain Azhar Ali lauded the consistency of his batsmen, as they chased down 252 with ease, to win their first ODI series in Sri Lanka since 2006. Pakistan’s top order has made runs all through the series. On Wednesday, Ahmed Shehzad hit 95 and Mohammad Hafeez scored 70.
“Shehzad played exceptionally,” Azhar said. “He played very positively and put the bad balls away. When Hafeez came, he played a crucial knock as they were putting a lot of pressure on us. He played like a senior player would play. We had a 100-run stand between them.”
Pakistan’s batsmen have also scored quickly throughout the series, notching run rates higher than six in each of the last two innings. “Once you have confidence that all the batsmen are in good form, you suddenly have a leverage to play fluently and take a few risks as well.”
The victory had been set up by Pakistan’s bowling, which has consistently been menacing through the tour. “When we got wickets we knew they lack a little bit of experience after Mathews – they didn’t have a lot of in form batsmen,” Azhar said. “When the wickets did come we knew that we can keep them to about 250 or 260.”

The team’s strategy has been brought into question through their limited-overs forays in 2015, as they have persisted with a substantial number of allrounders instead of fielding specialist bowlers. In this series, Pakistan’s bowlers have claimed 33 wickets to the Sri Lanka attack’s 15. Malinga, meanwhile, averages 37.50 this year.”I don’t think there’s a hell of a lot of issues with our planning and what we want to do with the ball,” Atapattu said. “Executing under pressure is something that concerns us. Plus we have played on good wickets. We’ve played on really good tracks starting in January this year when we started playing New Zealand in New Zealand.”We got six wickets in Kandy, but we haven’t got the wickets quite regularly as you would expect from Lasith Malinga. That’s something that we have missed. That’s one of the reasons we’ve lost the series.”Sri Lanka hit 252 for 9 batting first in the fourth ODI, but the ease with which Pakistan chased this total down suggested the target was at least 20 runs light. Atapattu said the absence of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara had left a considerable void in the side, but urged the young batsmen to begin converting their chances.”A lot of the batsmen getting starts and not going on to get a big score on basically flat wickets is disappointing. Most of them got starts and we needed a big one off one of them to get a big score or chase a big score. We got one when Kusal Perera got a 50 off 17 balls in Kandy. We haven’t had that frequently, and that is something people have to be responsible at the top of the order.”The exit of the two senior players has not just impacted the team’s batting, Atapattu said. “Missing two knowledgeable experienced players like that is going to be a bit difficult at the start, but life goes on. The young players have to take responsibility. Their capabilities and their thinking only surfaces when players like Mahela and Sanga leave. It’s a learning curve in terms of tactics and so on, but they are the ones who have to take Sri Lankan cricket forward. “Fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep bowled only 2.2 overs on Wednesday, before leaving the field with a hamstring complaint. He will be assessed before the team can decides on whether to draft another player into the squad, Atapattu said.