Wilfried Nancy Close to Becoming Celtic Manager Amid Unrest

Wilfried Nancy has found success in Major League Soccer (MLS) but has yet to take on a coaching role in Europe.

According to BBC Scotland, Nancy is on the verge of being appointed as the manager of Celtic FC. Negotiations between the Scottish champions and the French head coach of Columbus Crew have progressed significantly.

Celtic has been actively seeking a new manager since Brendan Rodgers resigned last month. Martin O’Neill, the club’s former manager, along with Shaun Maloney, has managed the team during the interim period, overseeing five matches.

O’Neill has achieved victory in all four of his domestic encounters since his return but suffered a defeat against Midtjylland in the Europa League.

Currently, Hearts leads the Scottish Premiership, holding a four-point advantage over defending champions Celtic, who have a game in hand.

This Thursday, Celtic will visit Feyenoord for their fifth Europa League match, having secured four points thus far. Additionally, they are set to defend the Premier Sports Cup next month against St Mirren, who recently lost 1-0 to O’Neill’s squad.

Should Nancy’s appointment be finalized, he will join Celtic amid growing tensions between the club and its supporters. Last week, an annual meeting at Celtic was disrupted by shareholder jeers directed at Ross Desmond, the son of major shareholder Dermot Desmond, alongside chants calling for the board’s dismissal.

Following the victory in Paisley on Saturday, O’Neill emphasized the need for “some sort of unification” at Celtic, referencing the fans’ demands for changes in the club’s management following the match against St Mirren.

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

His tenure at Columbus Crew began in 2022, where he guided the team to the MLS Cup in 2023 and the Leagues Cup the previous year, earning him the title of MLS Coach of the Year. However, this season, Columbus Crew finished seventh in the Eastern Conference and twelfth overall.

In total, Nancy has managed 215 games in North America, and if he secures the role at Celtic, it would mark his first managerial position in Europe.