Wilfried Nancy Set to Become Celtic Manager Amid Club Unrest

Wilfried Nancy has found success in Major League Soccer but has yet to experience coaching in Europe.

Recent reports from BBC Scotland indicate that Nancy is on the verge of being appointed as the manager of Celtic FC. Discussions between the Scottish champions and the French head coach of the Columbus Crew have advanced significantly.

Celtic has been in search of a new manager since Brendan Rodgers resigned last month. During the interim, Martin O’Neill, along with Shaun Maloney, has managed the team for the past five matches.

O’Neill has achieved victories in four of his domestic games since his return; however, the team faced defeat against Midtjylland in the Europa League.

Currently, Hearts leads the defending champions by four points at the summit of the Scottish Premiership, although Celtic has a game in hand.

Celtic is set to face Feyenoord in their fifth Europa League match on Thursday, having accumulated four points so far. Additionally, they will defend the Premier Sports Cup next month against St Mirren, who recently lost 1-0 at home to O’Neill’s side.

If Nancy’s appointment is finalized, he will begin his tenure at Celtic amidst a backdrop of tension between the club and its supporters. Last week, the club’s annual meeting was disrupted when shareholders expressed their discontent with comments made by Ross Desmond, son of major shareholder Dermot, leading to chants of “sack the board.”

Following Saturday’s victory in Paisley, O’Neill emphasized the need for “some sort of unification” at Celtic, as fans have called for changes in the club’s management.

Nancy began his coaching career in Canada after a playing stint in his native France, including a period with Toulon. He took over as head coach of CF Montreal in 2021 after Thierry Henry’s resignation, leading the team to the Canadian Championship that same year.

In 2022, he transitioned to the Columbus Crew, where he guided the team to the MLS Cup in 2023 and the Leagues Cup in the previous year, earning recognition as MLS Coach of the Year. However, the current season has seen the Crew finish seventh in the Eastern Conference and 12th overall.

Overall, Nancy has managed 215 games in North America, and a move to Celtic would mark his first managerial role in Europe.