Wilfried Nancy in Advanced Talks to Become Celtic Manager

Wilfried Nancy has achieved considerable success in Major League Soccer (MLS) but has yet to experience coaching in Europe.

According to BBC Scotland, 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 MLS’s Columbus Crew have advanced significantly.

Celtic has been in search of a new manager since Brendan Rodgers’ resignation last month. The club’s former manager, Martin O’Neill, along with assistant Shaun Maloney, has taken charge for the last five matches.

O’Neill has led the team to victory in all four of his domestic matches since returning, though they faced a setback with a loss to Midtjylland in the Europa League.

Currently, Hearts hold a four-point lead over the defending champions at the top of the Scottish Premiership, although Celtic has a game in hand.

This Thursday, Celtic will visit Feyenoord for their fifth Europa League match, having secured four points thus far. Additionally, they will defend their Premier Sports Cup title next month against St Mirren, who were recently defeated 1-0 by O’Neill’s team.

If appointed, Nancy will join Celtic amid ongoing tensions between the club and its supporters. Last week, the club’s annual meeting was disrupted by shareholders who jeered comments made by Ross Desmond, the son of major shareholder Dermot, and chanted “sack the board”.

Following the recent victory in Paisley, O’Neill expressed the need for “some sort of unification” within the club, as fans have been vocal about their desire for changes in management following the match against St Mirren.

Nancy’s coaching journey began after playing in his native France, including a stint with Toulon, before transitioning to coaching in Canada. After Thierry Henry’s resignation in 2021, Nancy took over at CF Montreal, leading them to win the Canadian Championship later that year.

In 2022, he moved to Columbus Crew, where he secured the MLS Cup in 2023 and the Leagues Cup the previous year, earning accolades as MLS Coach of the Year. However, his team finished seventh in the Eastern Conference and 12th overall this year.

Overall, Nancy has managed 215 games in North America, and taking the helm at Celtic would mark his first managerial position in Europe.