Incoming Celtic boss Wilfried Nancy facing a baptism of fire

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The Celtic Star

·2 December 2025

Incoming Celtic boss Wilfried Nancy facing a baptism of fire

Wilfried Nancy facing a baptism of fire. Is there a new Celtic manager who has ever been tasked with a tougher start?…

Wilfried Nancy, Head Coach of Columbus Crew SC, looks on during the MLS match between New England Revolution and Columbus Crew at Gillette Stadium on March 01, 2025 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Wilfried Nancy looks increasingly likely to be named the manager of Celtic Football Club at some point this week , with it seemingly just a matter of when and not if he signs on the dotted line.

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It’s widely believed that this Sunday’s vital home clash with Hearts in the Scottish Premiership will be Wilfried Nancy’s first game in charge of Celtic, and it has to be said, has their ever been a manager tasked with a tougher start to their Celtic career?

Roma fans at Ibrox. theRangers v Roma. Europa League, 6 November 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

I’m not just referring to the top of the table clash with the Jambos, but four days later we face Roma at Paradise in the Europa League, in what is a must win game, before facing St Mirren on the Sunday at Hampden Park in the Premier Sports Cup final.

That’s three different fixtures across three different competitions, and each one will be season defining. That’s not an exaggeration. A good result against Hearts could possibly send us back to the top of the standings, and deal a physiological blow to the Jambo in the process, while sending out a message to the rest of our so called challengers.

Likewise in the Europa League, where a win would boost our hopes of automatic qualification, and of course Sunday is a must win as it’s a cup final and the first trophy of the season.

Brendan Rodgers and Callum McGregor with the Premier Sports Cup after the victory over theRangers at Hampden on 15 December 2024. Photo AJ for The Celtic Star

Talk about being thrown in at the deep end. Nancy will have no other option but to swim, sinking isn’t an option and he has the added pressure of having, as Conor Spence pointed out on The Celtic Star this morning , to replace not one but two Celtic managers in Brendan Rodgers (11 trophies from 13) and Martin O’Neill , who has done an absolutely fantastic job since stepping in to answer Celtic’s call after Rodgers had his offer to resign accepted by the Celtic Board.

Martin O’Neill arrives at Easter Road, Sunday 30 November 2025. Hibs v Celtic, Scottish Premiership. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Tomorrow night will see Martin say his goodbyes and appropriately enough that game is at Celtic Park after he has secured a treble of vital away wins against St Mirren, Feyenoord and Hibs. It’s Dundee who are the visitors tomorrow night while Kilmarnock travel to Tynecastle to take on Hearts. If Celtic win the next two games we will be back at the top of the table on Sunday night with a game in hand and we can look forward to the Roma game and the Cup Final with optimism.

Wilfried Nancy head coach of the Columbus Crew looks during player introductions before the game against the Inter Miami CF at Huntington Bank Field on April 19, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

Three wins in his first three games will see Wilfried Nancy hit the ground running, that’s got to be his target. It’s not impossible but it’s certainly challenging from a manager new to Celtic, to Scottish football and to European competition.

Welcome to life at Glasgow Celtic, Wilfried. You’ll have our backing from the first whistle on Sunday.

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