Wilfried Nancy Insists He Can Replicate MLS Style and Success With Celtic | OneFootball

Wilfried Nancy cut a defiant figure as he faced the media ahead of his first Glasgow derby.

The Frenchman insisted he remains convinced he can succeed at Celtic despite mounting criticism and a febrile atmosphere around the club, while also pointing to a track record that shows his methods take time to bear fruit.

The Frenchman, who has endured a turbulent start to life in Glasgow, was calm, candid and unwavering as he addressed questions about pressure, tactics and his long-term future ahead of the game against Rangers.

While fully acknowledging the weight of expectation that comes with the job, Nancy made it clear he has no intention of abandoning his principles or being rushed into short-term thinking.

“I know where we are now, and I know where we want to go,” he said. “And I really believe that we are on the right track.”

That belief is rooted in experience. Before arriving at Celtic, Nancy built a reputation in North America as one of the most progressive coaches in MLS.

At CF Montréal, he transformed a previously inconsistent side into one of the league’s most tactically sophisticated teams, guiding them to a club-record points total and a Canadian Championship, while earning MLS Coach of the Year honours.

His work was defined by patience, a fresh approach to positional play, and players learning new roles – themes that now echo strongly in his defence of the early months at Celtic.

More recently, at Columbus Crew, Nancy again demonstrated the payoff of long-term conviction, leading the club to MLS Cup success with an expansive, possession-based style that initially drew scepticism but ultimately delivered silverware.

That context underpins his repeated insistence that time, even if limited, is essential.

“This is only the beginning,” Nancy stressed. “Usually, we have four or five weeks of pre-season. I didn’t have pre-season. I came in the middle of the season. This is the context.”

Much of the scrutiny surrounding Nancy has focused on his tactical approach, particularly claims that his system is not suited to Scottish football or to Celtic. He rejected that narrative outright.

“I want you to understand that I don’t play with a back five,” he said. “I never said that. I play with a back-four, I play with a back-three, I play with a back-two. What I want is to be good with the concept. And this is, for me, the most important.”

Nancy stressed that Celtic’s recent problems are not rooted in structure, but in execution and circumstance, something he has navigated before.

“This is totally normal that my players need a bit of time,” he said. “A few players have been here for five, six, seven years. They were doing certain things in a certain way. No kidding that it takes time.”

Despite disappointing results, Nancy insists he sees clear signs of progress on the training pitch and in performances, even if they have not yet translated into wins.

“When I am cold, and I analyse the performance again, we don’t deserve to be there,” he said of Celtic’s league position. “But at the same time, we are not far because we are still close. As a manager, what I see every time is improvement.”

That conviction extends to his relationship with the club hierarchy. Asked directly whether he still has the board’s backing, Nancy was unequivocal.

“Yes,” he replied. “I know that the board is with me, and the club is with me, and the players are with me.”

He also dismissed suggestions that defeat in the derby could leave his position untenable, framing such talk as perception rather than reality.

“Perspective is everything,” he said. “This is a perception of people. They can be right, they can be wrong.”

Nancy did not shy away from acknowledging the intensity of the Glasgow environment, admitting that he has been struck by the ferocity of the reaction to poor results. But he was clear that criticism, even from high-profile supporters, will not distract him.

“Everybody can talk,” he said. “This is a famous club. So everybody can talk. Me, I know what I want to do.”

Crucially, Nancy framed his situation as one of responsibility rather than self-preservation. He insisted he is not motivated by changing opinions about himself, but by delivering success for the club.

“I’m not here to change the opinion on anybody,” he said. “I want the best for the club. I want the best for my players. And, obviously, we want to win games. That’s why I’m here.”

While accepting that patience is in short supply at Celtic, Nancy asked for judgment to be grounded in analysis rather than emotion, a plea consistent with the path that previously led him to success in Montréal and Columbus.

“Judge me. No problem,” he said. “But have a look. Analyse all the games that we play and analyse if we should have won the game or lost the game.”

Perhaps most revealing was his closing message to supporters, which blended realism with ambition.

“Yes, I want to win every game. Yes, I want to bring titles to Celtic. Yes, I want to create memory. I want to create a legacy here,” Nancy said. “But this is a process, and I knew that before I came.”

On the eve of a potentially defining derby, Nancy is under no illusions about the scale of the challenge and, as his past success shows, and as his words underlined, he remains defiant and convinced that with conviction, clarity, and just enough time, he can still make his mark at Celtic.

Whether he will be afforded time is another matter. Tomorrow could be telling in that regard.