Shay Given has made a swift return to television by appearing on Football Focus after making a controversial remark about former Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy. During a segment on BBC’s Final Score, the former Premier League goalkeeper used insensitive language to describe Nancy’s brief 33-day stint, for which both he and the broadcaster issued apologies.
Given criticized Nancy’s early days at Celtic, referring to them as an “absolute Holocaust,” expressing his belief that Martin O’Neill should have been given more time before Nancy took over. The former goalkeeper highlighted a crucial week in Celtic’s schedule, including matches against Hearts, Roma in the Europa League, and St Mirren in the League Cup final, where he felt O’Neill should have remained in charge.
Following Given’s comments, BBC Sport host Jason Mohammad issued an on-air apology to viewers for the inappropriate language used during the broadcast. Given later took to social media to express regret for his choice of words, acknowledging his lack of understanding of their significance and pledging to educate himself further on the matter. He also announced that he would donate his fee from the show to the Holocaust Educational Trust as a gesture of apology.
Nancy was relieved of his duties after overseeing just eight games at Celtic, with a string of losses leading to his dismissal. Martin O’Neill has since returned to manage Celtic for the second time this season, making a successful comeback with a 4-0 victory over Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership.
In other news, Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, offering savings of £192 and providing access to over 1,400 live matches, including Premier League and EFL games. Sky has also announced an increase in live Premier League matches for the upcoming season, promising at least 215 games, up to 100 more than in previous seasons.
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