Wilfried Nancy: Celtic's New Leader of Men

Celtic's Nancy era begins amid doubts: 'Project manager' vibe, fan media excluded, recycled questions from the press, and a Hearts baptism of fire.

Celtic have finally announced the appointment of Wilfried Nancy as their new manager on a two-and-a-half-year deal, replacing Brendan Rodgers who departed in October 2025 after a 3-1 loss to Hearts that left the club trailing by eight points. Nancy joins from Columbus Crew, with assistants Kwame Ampadu, Jules Gueguen, and Maxime Chalier also moving to Glasgow.

It also signalled the end of Martin O’Neill’s interim duties as Celtic manager, which saw the Celtic legend steer the team to winning all of their league games drawing level with Hearts at the top of the table - and with a game in hand - as well as the superb 3-1 away win against Dutch giants Feyenoord, and securing a League Cup semi final win over Rangers to reach the final next week.

While I would have loved to have seen Martin O’Neill lead the team until the end of the season, it wasn’t to be and he has now set a high bar for Nancy.

Nancy’s Proven Pedigree in MLS

Nancy’s track record shines in North America, where he transformed Columbus Crew into a dominant force. In 2023, his first full season, Crew topped MLS scoring with 67 goals, tied a club record 57 points, and clinched MLS Cup as the first Black head coach to do so, beating LAFC 2-1. The 2024 campaign brought a franchise-record 66 points, second in the Supporters’ Shield, a Concacaf Champions Cup final run - defeating LIGA MX sides like Tigres and Monterrey - and Leagues Cup glory over LAFC. Earlier at CF Montreal from 2021, he secured a club-best 20-9-5 record in 2022, second in the East, and the Canadian Championship.​

Celtic’s official statement hailed Nancy’s “limitless” potential, drawing parallels to Ange Postecoglou’s attacking style that won two trebles before his Tottenham move. Crew ownership praised his culture-building, with players like Cucho Hernández earning MLS Best XI honours and several gaining international caps under his guidance. Yet transitioning to Scottish football’s intensity, physicality, and derbies demands adaptation beyond the comforts of the MLS he is accustomed to.​

Links to Tisdale Raise Eyebrows

Celtic’s Head of Football Operations, Paul Tisdale, championed Nancy’s candidacy, having monitored him closely and leveraging prior ties through Nancy’s assistant Kwame Ampadu from Tisdale’s Exeter City days. Reports position Tisdale as the driving force post-Rodgers. I am one of those who has decried this as nepotism over merit, echoing Ronny Deila’s appointment [with his ties to Manchester City and Mark Lawwell] amid questions of over his pedigree.​

Because of this, I still have huge reservations over giving him my full endorsement not that holds much water. In my opinion, Nancy arrives as a project manager - excelling in rebuilds like Crew’s youth development and Montreal’s academy roots - but Celtic fans demand success now, not experiments. Tisdale’s influence feels like backroom favouritism in a club needing proven winners, not another nepo baby. He has much to prove; words won’t suffice.​

A Brutal Baptism of Fire Awaits

Nancy inherits a tricky fixture list, debuting against Premiership leaders [on goal difference only] Hearts at home on Sunday. With Celtic now level on points with Derek McInnes’ side - Celtic must capitalise on not only this game but also their game in hand. Midweek Europa League hosts Roma follow on December 11, where Celtic sit well-positioned but face Serie A quality differing sharply from Hearts. The Premier Sports Cup final versus St Mirren at Hampden caps a 10-day gauntlet on December 14.​

O’Neill’s interim streak - eight matches unbeaten in league play - leaves massive shoes to fill; any stumble risks criticism amid Hearts’ early season surge. Nancy must hit the ground running: navigate Hearts’ directness, compete with Roma’s flair, and dominate St Mirren in the cup final. Talk of “believing in themselves more” sounds motivational, but results against these three teams define his start. Failure here cements project-manager doubts; success buys time.​

Press Conference Snub Fuels Fan Frustration

Today’s Lennoxtown presser excluded fan media like The Cynic, The Celtic Star and Celts Are Here, limiting to mainstream outlets amid ongoing protests. Celtic’s PR emailed a curt “no for fan media today - we are reviewing access,” cancelling the summer rota just two hours prior. Questions from the mainstream media merely regurgitated Gerry McCulloch’s Celtic TV interview post-unveiling, wasting Nancy’s and fans’ time with softball repeats from a press corp that is running on fumes.​

This clear disconnect orchestrated by the Celtic board, especially post-Green Brigade ban. Fan sites signed petitions via Celtic Fans Collective, covering all statements fairly - yet barred while MSM gets first crack which provided nothing of note that the fans didn’t know about before. In an era of direct supporter engagement via blogs and social, snubbing their voices reeks of control, not transparency. Nancy fielded tame queries on style and fixtures, but Celtic fans crave more than the commercially sensitive drivel that the mainstream media serve up on a daily basis.​

Why Hesitation Persists Despite Hype

Nancy’s French eloquence and tactical nous promises possession dominance - but hopefully nothing like Rodgers’ tippy tappy pish that we were subjected to. Nancy’s peaks impress, but unproven in Europe or on the World stage beyond Concacaf raises red flags.​

Tisdale’s push and backroom imports signal project continuity, but Celtic fans demand trophies, not transitions, they demand European progression. Fan media blackout amplifies distrust in a season of upheaval. He talked a good game on Celtic TV - now he must deliver. Hearts win buys goodwill; slip-ups confirm early criticisms over the appointment. He needs to hit the ground running.