Wilfried Nancy – A warm welcome to Celtic

Welcome to Celtic Wilfried Nancy, we wish you all the best and it goes without saying that as Celtic manager you will need to hit the ground running…

A warm welcome to Wilfried Nancy who has been officially announced as manager of Celtic football club after joining from MLS outfit Columbus Crew on a two and half year deal.

Nancy was apparently the first choice in the eyes of the Celtic hierarchy, so we can only applaud them for persuading him to join the club, if only they were that competent when it mattered when it came to signing our number one playing targets in the last two transfer windows.

Whilst Wilfried was the club’s first choice, he certainly wasn’t the supporters, but he’s here now, has just signed on the dotted line so we can only offer him our unequivocal backing, he deserves nothing less after all. Every incoming Celtic manager has the support’s backing from day one and Nancy is no different.

One thing no new Celtic manager is allowed too much of – and this applied to Wilfried Nancy – is time. He also needs to earn the trust and respect of the supporters, so it’s of vitally importance that he starts on a positive note, beginning with a victory over Hearts on Sunday afternoon.

When he heard about the Celtic job Celtic were trailing Hearts by eight points, confidence was low and Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney were recruited on an interim basis to steady the ship. They signed off last night by going level with Hearts and also have a game in hand, so a Celtic win on Sunday really will put us in the driving position to retain the title under the new manager.

Martin O'Neill and Shaun Maloney

3rd December 2025 Celtic Park, Scottish Premiership FCeltic versus Dundee Celtic interim manager Martin O Neill drags forward Celtic interim assistant manager Shaun Maloney to get acclaim at the end of his last match in charge. Photo David Young IMAGO

Martin O’Neill also got the better of theRangers in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final so Wilfried’s second domestic match will be a cup final against St Mirren and the chance to lift some earlier silverware.

Sandwiched in between those two vital domestic games is a home match in the Europa League against Roma and that fantastic win in Rotterdam against Feyenoord that Martin O’Neill secured means that Nancy has a tremendous chance to progress into the latter stages of the competition if he can defeat the Italian side who have already beaten theRangers at Ibrox in an earlier round of Europa League matches.

Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy celebrates

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)

The Frenchman will of course get a rousing reception when he appears in front of the supporters on Sunday afternoon at Celtic Park ahead of the match against Hearts. However once that first whistle is blown, all thoughts will be one thing only, and that is winning the game. Something that Wilfried will have to get acclimatised to, and quickly.

The challenges and the expectations are off the scale at Celtic in comparison to what he has previously experienced managing in Canada and the United States.

Welcome to Celtic Wilfried. Best of luck.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

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Celtic in the Eighties and Willie Fernie - Putting on the Style both by David Potter

Celtic in the Eighties and Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style both by David Potter. Photo The Celtic Star

About Author

An ordinary everyday Celtic supporters hailing and still residing in Govan in the shadows of the enemy. I’m a season ticket holder. I Witnessed my first Celtic game in 1988 and have attended when I can ever since. Growing up in the 90s I witnessed Celtic at their lowest, and now appreciate the historic success we enjoy today. I enjoy writing about this wonderful football club and hopefully will continue to do so. I’ve always been a keen writer and initially started this a hobby. My ambition is to one day become as good an author as my fellow Celtic Star colleagues.

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1 Comment

  1. I honestly think this guy is going tae be superb for us. I dinnae think he will be a pushover for the board either. Everythin i’ve read aboot him & everythin i’ve heard him say leaves me feelin like we’ve got oorsels a gem with this guy.

    And the noisy neighbours only have the wee schoolboy as a manager 😂😂 They’re still needing masonic refs tae help tae stay in 4th place ffs

    Wilfried Nancy will be a great manager for us 100%
    And, we’ll be sad tae him go when the even bigger clubs with bigger budgets come for him in a couple of years.

    Enjoy him while we can, is my advice 🍀💚