Celtic have appointed Wilfrid Nance, manager of Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew, as their new permanent replacement manager. Brendan Rodgers, sacked in October. He signed a contract for two and a half years.
The Glasgow club are two points behind the team. Scottish Premier League leaders Hearts have a game in hand after winning all four league games under Martin O'Neill. The caretaker manager also beat Rangers in the League Cup semi-final to set up a match at Hampden Park against St Mirren on December 14 and will take charge of the team for the final time tonight against Dundee at Celtic Park.
This gives Nancy, 48, an early chance to win the trophy. He won the MLS Cup with the Columbus Crew in 2023 and the League Cup in 2024, when he was named MLS Coach of the Year. He also took the team to Concacaf Champions Cup Final last year.
Nancy said in a club statement: “I'm so pleased to have been named Celtic Manager, this is a huge honor for me and my family. Before I say anything else, I want to do one thing: I want to thank the great Martin O'Neill and Sean Maloney for everything they have done with the team in recent weeks. The job they did was fantastic.
“These guys have given so much to the club over so many years and I know our fans like In my opinion, everyone recognizes the brilliant job they have done recently. They have my full respect and my full gratitude. I hope to meet them both very soon and thank them in person. “I now get to continue this great work and take our great club forward and I can't wait to get started and be part of such a brilliant organization.”
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Nancy was considered an outsider Celtic job when Rogers retired. However, the Frenchman fits Celtic's desired profile as an up-and-comer manager who the Scottish champions believe can progress within their system and embrace the transfer policy. Nancy, who previously managed Montreal, led the Columbus Crew to seventh place in the MLS Eastern Conference this regular season. The team lost in the first round of the MLS playoffs to FC Cincinnati.
Celtic's main shareholder, Dermot Desmond, who had a harsh statement against Rodgers after his departure, had much warmer words for the new manager. “We believe we have brought an extremely talented manager to the club,” he said in a statement. “He is a man who absolutely understands the demands of Celtic, he is a man of real humility, but also a man with his own ideas, his own vision, personal drive and desire to do well for the club and our fans.
“Everyone at the club will rally behind Wilfrid as we move forward and we will provide him with unwavering support as he achieves our goals.”
Celtic chairman Peter Lawwell added: “We are delighted to welcome Wilfried to Celtic. He is a manager with a track record of delivering the kind of football we know Celtic fans love to see. We will give Wilfried all our support as we look to bring success to our fans again.”
When Rodgers left Celtic, the club were eight points behind Hearts. Dermot Desmond, the club's main shareholder (and usually shuns publicity), has spoken out about what he described as the former Liverpool manager's “self-serving” behavior.
O'Neill was in his second spell at Celtic after five years at the helm starting in 2000.
