Wilfried Nancy: A Potential New Era for Celtic FC

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

According to BBC Scotland, Nancy is nearing an appointment 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 resigned last month. During this interim period, former manager Martin O’Neill, alongside Shaun Maloney, has overseen the team’s last five matches.

O’Neill has led the team to victory in all four domestic fixtures since his return, although they faced a setback against Midtjylland in the Europa League.

Currently, Hearts are leading the defending champions by four points at the top of the Scottish Premiership, with Celtic holding a game in hand.

Celtic is set to face Feyenoord in their fifth Europa League match on Thursday, having collected four points thus far. Additionally, they are preparing to defend the Premier Sports Cup in the upcoming final against St Mirren, who suffered a 1-0 defeat at home against O’Neill’s side last Saturday.

If Nancy’s appointment is confirmed, he will begin his tenure at Celtic amid existing tensions between the club and its supporters. Last week, the club’s annual meeting was abruptly halted due to shareholder discontent directed at remarks made by Ross Desmond, son of major shareholder Dermot Desmond. Some shareholders even chanted calls to “sack the board.”

Following the win against St Mirren, O’Neill emphasized the need for “some sort of unification” within the club, reflecting the supporters’ calls for changes in management.

Nancy’s coaching journey began in Canada after playing for teams in his home country, including Toulon. He took over as head coach at CF Montreal after Thierry Henry’s resignation in 2021, leading the team to victory in the Canadian Championship later that year.

In 2022, Nancy moved to Columbus Crew, where he guided the team to the MLS Cup in 2023 and the Leagues Cup the year prior, earning the title of MLS Coach of the Year. However, this season saw the Crew finish seventh in the Eastern Conference and 12th overall.

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