Nancy likened his philosophy to ‘a boxing match and a game of chess’ | OneFootball

There has never been a single, unified ‘Celtic support.’ There are factions, temperaments, competing emotions, and deeply held convictions shaped by our experiences of following our club…

The sceptical, the intrigued, and the scunnered

So, it’s no surprise that Wilfried Nancy’s name arrives at a fanbase arguably split three ways. The sceptical, the intrigued, and the scunnered.

One group who feel the appointment is underwhelming, another who have dived deep into his MLS work and found themselves unexpectedly excited, and another group who are too disillusioned with the direction of the club to care who the next manager is.

Understanding Nancy’s potential as Celtic manager means acknowledging the real strengths he brings, the legitimate concerns that accompany him, and the career moments that show he is someone capable of challenging authority without losing the dressing room or abandoning an expansive, progressive footballing philosophy.

Wilfried Nancy has built his managerial reputation on a clear, modern, progressive identity that stands out even in a league like MLS, where tactical experimentation varies wildly. His Columbus Crew side were widely regarded as among the best footballing outfits in the league’s history, not because they collected points efficiently but because they played with both structure, and imagination. His football is possession-driven but not sterile, built around positional rotations, aggressive use of a back three, and movements that provoke pressure in order to break it.

He likened his philosophy to “a boxing match and a game of chess.” In his words, boxing represents the intensity he wants, on and off the ball, chess represents how he wants his team to manipulate opposition, to think several moves ahead, to force patterns.

READ THIS – A Creative Approach | Wilfried Nancy’s Footballing Philosophy | Columbus Crew

That intensity and intelligence, could resonate powerfully at Celtic, especially for supporters impatient after Brendan Rodgers conservative build-ups. Nancy doesn’t just want to win, he wants to win his way.

A defining trait of Nancy’s career is his ability to improve players. At Montréal he turned a squad with a bottom-tier budget into a tactically coherent playoff side. At Columbus he transformed ordinary or undervalued players into consistent performers operating above their perceived ceiling. Centre-backs became progressive ball carriers, midfielders learned connections and wing-backs discovered their influence on both sides of the ball.

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MLS All-Star head coach Wilfried Nancy addresses members of the media during the MLS All-Star Press Conference at Lower.com Field on July 22, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

Nancy is a teacher at heart, a former academy coach who treats football as collaborative education

Nancy is a teacher at heart, a former academy coach who treats football as collaborative education. As one of his former staff put it, his football is not just about structure or systems but about “joy, initiative and empowering players to express themselves.” That emphasis on “people before the system” feels timely for a Celtic squad that often needs character as much as ability.

Crucially, Nancy’s managerial style aligns with the long-term model Celtic have increasingly committed to, building squads around development players. That model frustrates many supporters, rightly so at times, but given its persistence, Celtic need a manager who can work within it without being restricted by it.

CINCINNATI, OHIO – NOVEMBER 8: Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy celebrates the Jacen Russell-Rowe #19 of Columbus Crew goal against FC Cincinnati during the MLS Playoff match at TQL Stadium on November 8, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Chris Carter/Getty Images)

Nancy’s history suggests he is not simply a coach who accepts a club’s structure

Nancy’s history suggests he is not simply a coach who accepts a club’s structure, he is someone who reshapes identity from the inside, a builder, not a caretaker. In Montréal and Columbus, he operated with less money than rivals yet consistently produced sides whose football looked richer. All of this makes him a potentially significant figure for Celtic. He is not arriving as a continuation of an existing identity, he is someone who can define a fresh approach.

Wilfried Nancy of the Columbus Crew holds the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy after winning the 2023 MLS Cup against the Los Angeles FC at Lower.com Field on December 09, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

It’s important to approach Nancy’s candidacy with realism

But it’s important to approach Nancy’s candidacy with realism. The Glasgow environment is unlike anything he has faced. MLS is competitive in its own way, but it does not produce the emotional intensity of losing at Tynecastle or dropping points at home and waking up to a city that demands answers.

There is no media equivalent to Scotland’s relentless football environment, no supporter base whose expectations swing between the ecstatic and the existential in a matter of halves. Nancy is calm, philosophical, and deeply process-driven. Celtic’s environment is impatient, visceral, and often unforgiving. Whether his temperament thrives or strains under that pressure is an unanswered question.

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)

His football demands complete buy-in from players

His football demands complete buy-in from players, a full grasp of positional concepts and a willingness to play through pressure even when mistakes are punished harshly. It is not quick-fix football. Nancy’s approach requires time, and Celtic’s history of granting patience is uneven at best.

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More significantly, Nancy is a manager who expects influence over recruitment, development pathways, and infrastructural standards. A quote from his days at Columbus encapsulates that perspective. “My job is to guide the players because they have to be able to find the solution by themselves.”

He wants to build systems where the collective knows what to do, not where individuals are babysat. This suggests a football culture with discipline but also responsibility, which might clash with an executive and board used to short-termism or quick fixes.

Darlington Nagbe #6 of the Columbus Crew embraces Wilfried Nancy head coach of the Columbus Crew after the 2025 MLS Cup Playoff match against FC Cincinnati at Lower.com Field on November 02, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Crew won 4-0. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

And then there is the glaring unknown

And then there is the glaring unknown. Nancy has no European knockout experience, no Champions League nights, and no exposure to the pressure cooker of football in Glasgow. He might have vision and talent, but whether that translates to immediate European competitiveness, or even domestic dominance under Celtic’s microscope, remains uncertain.

For the section of the support convinced Celtic’s problems are structural, not managerial, Wilfried Nancy’s past should hold particular interest. This is a man who has confronted systems before and come out stronger.

At CF Montréal, Nancy faced repeated instability. The club had one of the highest coaching-churn rates in MLS, with nine head coaches over 12 seasons. He navigated that landscape for years, from youth to reserves to first team, and still managed to lay foundations.

Head coach Wilfried Nancy of Columbus Crew reacts during the first half of the MLS match against the New York City FC at Yankee Stadium on September 17, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

When he took over the first team, he delivered the best season in the club’s history, yet he remained aware that professional football could, sooner or later, force him to move on. As he acknowledged in a candid interview. “I knew that in my job, I was going to have to move at one moment… it was either me or the club that would fire me.”

READ THIS….“This is the way”: Inside the mind of Columbus Crew coach Wilfried Nancy | MLSSoccer.com

His turbulent final months at Montréal revealed a manager with a firm sense of leadership and standards. Nancy and majority owner Joey Saputo clashed over budget limitations, internal communication, squad decisions, and even training ground conditions.

Tension escalated when Saputo publicly criticised the players after a defeat, undermining the collective environment Nancy had cultivated. Rather than allow his authority to be compromised, Nancy eventually chose to walk. Montréal wanted to keep him, but he refused to continue under conditions he believed destabilised the team and disrespected the squad. This was not the action of a compliant or desperate manager. It was the move of someone who will not trade principles for convenience.

Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy looks on after coaching against Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park on February 25, 2023 in Chester, Pennsylvania. (Photo by T. Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

So, when Columbus Crew approached him, he embraced it not just as a different club, but as a different culture, a different challenge, both personally and professionally. “I have a lot of respect for all the cultures, and also have a lot of empathy for the human being,” he said, reflecting on his willingness to adapt, learn, and lead in new surroundings. “This is the way”.

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The results followed. In Columbus he reconstructed not only the first team, but club identity. He insisted that his playing philosophy be embedded across ages, from academy to first team, so that when new players arrived, they did not need time to adjust, they already understood the club’s football DNA. “Everything is connected … for me the most important is the concept,” he said. And that concept was non-negotiable.

“Guys, just enjoy it, and we’re gonna grow”

When Columbus won the MLS Cup in 2023, his post-match words captured the essence of his philosophy. “Impossible is an opinion.” He told his players “guys, just enjoy it, and we’re gonna grow.” Three Wilfried Nancy quotes to introduce Celtic fans to surprise manager front-runner Those aren’t the words of a coach trying to placate, they’re the words of a leader who believes in collective progress.

Even those of us who believe Celtic’s boardroom inadequacies are the root issue must concede that the club still needs a manager capable of constructing a football identity resilient enough to survive political shifts and personnel changes. Nancy provides that possibility. He develops players into assets and shapes squads into systems. His teams play with intention and imagination. His record suggests he elevates individuals and clubs alike.

Celtic do not just need someone who wins matches

Celtic do not just need someone who wins matches, they need someone who instills belief. They need someone who can modernise training, educate players, elevate the tactical IQ of the team, and offer supporters something they can emotionally invest in again. Nancy is capable of all these things.

CINCINNATI, OHIO – NOVEMBER 8: Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy celebrates the Jacen Russell-Rowe #19 of Columbus Crew goal against FC Cincinnati during the MLS Playoff match at TQL Stadium on November 8, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Chris Carter/Getty Images)

If, to some, Celtic are landscaping the gardens with this appointment, Nancy is the kind of figure who might quietly begin reinforcing the foundations. His presence alone signals a shift away from conservatism toward something more cutting edge but with long-term potential.

You don’t have to be sold on the board. You don’t have to buy into the hype. You don’t even have to believe Nancy is guaranteed success. But you can reasonably believe Wilfried Nancy is one of the most intriguing, progressive, courageous managers Celtic could realistically appoint from the reported runners and riders.

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He is not safe. He is not convenient. He is not passive. He is a manager who has confronted ownership, reshaped institutions, elevated players, and produced football that supporters fall in love with.

At Montréal, Nancy delivered the 2021 Canadian Championship and followed it with the club’s strongest MLS campaign in history in 2022, finishing second in the Eastern Conference, setting numerous franchise records, and reaching the Conference semi-finals.

His move to Columbus only elevated his profile. Under his guidance, Columbus led MLS in goals scored (82), average possession (56.9%), shots, shots on target and dribbles per game, culminating in the 2023 MLS Cup triumph.

The following year brought more of the same, ‘the Crew’ topped the league again for possession (59.5%), won the Leagues Cup, finished second in the Supporters’ Shield standings, and reached the CONCACAF Champions Cup Final.

His final season showed the other side of the managerial cycle. Columbus slipped to 7th in the East, made early exits in both domestic cups, and were knocked out in the first round of the MLS Cup for a second straight year.

READ THIS…Who is Wilfried Nancy? MLS expert reveals new Celtic manager’s Thierry Henry coaching background | FourFourTwo

There is something in those numbers to soothe each of the three schools of Celtic thought, and something to unsettle them.

Nancy’s highs show a manager capable of reshaping a club’s identity, elevating players and producing football that lifts a support off its feet. His lows remind us that every coach, no matter how gifted, arrives carrying vulnerabilities.

No one walks into Celtic Park perfectly formed for this club. Like players, managers come with strengths and weaknesses attached.

Nancy feels like a coach far less concerned with the destination than the journey itself. And perhaps that alone makes him an intriguing fit at a club arguably searching for direction.

Niall J

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