John Barnes insists Wilfried Nancy wasn't given enough time at Celtic.
The Frenchman was dismissed after only eight games, having managed just two wins.
Early losses against Hearts in the league and St Mirren in the League Cup final were detrimental.
Additional defeats by Motherwell and Rangers sealed his fate at Parkhead.
For Barnes, it's a situation he knows all too well.
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His time at the club ended after eight months, following a upsetting cup defeat by Inverness Caley Thistle.
Barnes believes Nancy deserved more time, although he acknowledges the 48-year-old didn't have the track record required in today's game to justify it.
Barnes said: "No manager gets the time that they need.
"We’ve seen many times new managers being brought in, given the full faith of the club, and then sacked two months later.
"This is a feature of modern football that I don’t like, but unfortunately, that’s the way things are.
"Of course, Celtic did not give Wilfried Nancy enough time.
"The problem with joining a big club like Celtic, or any of the big clubs in England, is that if you haven’t got a track record of success you are going to suffer, unless you start well.
"It might be OK if you win your first games and start really well, fans will then place their trust in you.
"But if you don’t, any preconceptions will come to the fore. A manager with a track record will be given more time, but Nancy wasn’t.”
There is a feeling he failed to win the players over and the correct decision was taken.
Looking forward, Barnes reckons Celtic, albeit with Martin O’Neill at the helm temporarily, can still win the league.
However, he cautions this won't come easy under the current circumstances.
Barnes said: "I would have expected Celtic to win the league until the disharmony.
"And even with Martin O'Neill coming in on a short-term basis, it's going to be difficult.
"When a manager comes in on a short-term basis, the players respond to that, they know that the coach may not be with the club long-term.
"I would say Celtic are still favourites, but it’s not clear cut."
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