Shay Given makes crass 'holocaust' claim about Wilfried Nancy's Celtic spell before broadcaster issues apology

Nancy's stint in Glasgow was viewed as an unmitigated disaster. The Frenchman suffered six defeats in eight games, including a 3-1 loss to St Mirren in the League Cup Final and a defeat to Old Firm rivals Rangers by the same scoreline. 

However poor the former Columbus Crew manager's tenure may have been, Given's choice of language was spectacularly wide of the mark. The Holocaust refers to the systematic murder of 6 million Jewish people by Nazi Germany during the Second World War. 

The unsavoury moment came after Mohammed asked his colleague: "What have you made of what's gone on at Celtic, Wilfried Nancy going after the defeat against Rangers, awful in the second half?"

Given replied: "Nancy was terrible from start to finish, I don't think they should have ended Martin's (O'Neill's) short tenure at the start. It was the week leading up to the Hearts game, top of the league clash, then Roma in the Europa League and St Mirren in the League Cup final, I thought Martin should have been given that week at least. 

"Nancy took over that week and had an absolute Holocaust in that week and it was just a nightmare from then on, the defeats and Rangers last weekend was the final straw, final nail in the coffin."

Towards the end of the broadcast, Mohammed addressed the moment, issuing the following apology: "A little earlier you may have heard some inappropriate language so we would like to apologise for any offence caused."

Given has since issued a statement on his personal social media accounts. Posting on X, the former Aston Villa shot stopper said: "On live television this afternoon, I used a word that I didn't fully understand the meaning of, and certainly won't ever use again."

He added: "We all have areas of ignorance in our knowledge, and I hope to use this as an opportunity to become better educated going forward.

"I am genuinely mortified and apologise unreservedly to everyone offended, and will be donating my fee from today's show to the Holocaust Educational Trust."

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A number of social media users voiced their displeasure with Given's misguided comments. 

One wrote on X: "RIP Shay Given's career. Given has just said Celtic "had an absolute Holocaust" on BBC Final Score."

Another added: "Shay Given Shay Given just said that Wilfried Nancy had a 'Holocaust' of a week when he took the job. I'm not sure that's what he meant to say." 

The 49-year-old is not the first footballer to use the word in relation to a poor performance. Joey Barton used it to describe a poor performance by his Bristol Rover side during his time as manager with the club, saying: "Someone gets in and does well but then gets suspended or injured. Someone gets in for a game, does well but then has a Holocaust, a nightmare, an absolute disaster." Barton would later apologise for the incident, after being contacted by the FA. Former West Ham striker Carlton Cole also used the word on radio in 2021, issuing an apology later during the same broadcast. 

Whether Given's apology, or the surprising frequency with which a word of such heavy historical importance gets thrown around by pundits and former players, is enough for him to get away with a slap on the wrist remains to be seen. There's every chance this could spell the end of his career as a media personality and pundit.