Sports
Wilfried Nancy in ‘Advanced’ Talks to Become New Manager
Celtic are closing in on a permanent replacement for Brendan Rodgers as talks with current Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy in advanced talks with the Scottish Premiership giants.
The Glasgow-based outfit have been on the hunt for a new boss since Rodgers departed Celtic Park in late October after a poor start to the season in the league and in Europe. Tension behind the scenes were revealed to be high between the Northern Irish manager and the higher-ups at the club.
As a result, the ex-Liverpool and Leicester City boss left and former Celtic manager Martin O’Neill was appointed as the interim head coach. O’Neill has done a fine job and will be happy to leave his old employers in a much healthier position in the Scottish top-flight, just four points behind Hearts with a game in hand.
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Almost one month after Rodgers’ unexpected exit, the search for a new manager looks set to finally end. Nancy – who won the 2024 MLS Coach of the Year award – will take over from O’Neill once all documents are signed.
Whether he’s in the dugout for Thursday’s UEFA Europa League clash against Eredivisie outfit Feyenoord remains to be seen, but there now looks to be a strong possibility the Frenchman will be in charge for the league clash at Hibernian at the weekend.
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Ange Postecoglou was linked with a sensational return to the club, having guided the Hoops to two SPFL titles, but the Australian quickly dropped out of the running. For the past couple of weeks, Nancy has been the frontrunner, and now the deal is set to be formalised.
He started his journey in management in 2021, taking the reigns of CF Montreal a staggering 15 years after he hung up his boots as a defender. After just one season, the 47-year-old switched Canada for the United States as he was appointed Columbus Crew manager for the 2022-23 season.
Fabrizio Romano addressed a delay in the announcement of Nancy’s appointment in his GMS Newsletter, saying: “Technical things, but the verbal agreement is in place so the situation is currently considered under control.”
A New Era at Celtic Park
While the league form has improved, and the gap between the Bhoys and Hearts could be just one point if the game in hand is dealt with effectively, fortunes in Europe haven’t quite been the same. Celtic have taken just four points from as many games in the second-tier continental competition this term.
A trip to fellow strugglers Feyenoord will need to see a positive result for Nancy’s soon-to-be employers. While it may look bleak in Europe for the Scottish giants, there’s every reason to be excited by Nancy’s arrival, and what may come along with it.
Former MLS attacker Herculez Gomez made an incredible comparison to Champions League winner and Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique. He claimed:
“If I could get somewhere close to his brand, it would be Luis Enrique’s PSG. Enrique bases his philosophy off the interpretation of space, time and movement. There are no set positions. “‘Relacionismo’, they say in Spanish. It’s how you relate to a certain sector on the field and how you can advance and really consume your opponent in numbers. That’s Wilfred Nancy.”
