The Hoops are in advanced talks to make Nancy their next manager after the MLS season
22:43, 15 Nov 2025
Wilfried Nancy
Celtic will be getting one of the best coaches in the MLS if they clinch a deal for Wilfried Nancy, according to former Scotland defender Steven Caldwell.
The Hoops are in advanced talks to make Nancy their next manager after the MLS season.
The 48-year-old, who led the club to the MLS Cup two years ago and was named MLS Coach of the Year in 2024, has been top of the Celtic wishlist since Brendan Rodgers’ bombshell exit last month.
It’s understood Nancy wants the move and Parkhead officials are now hoping he can be on board for the side’s Premiership return against St Mirren next weekend.
Celtic will need to shell out compensation of up to £2million to land him.
And Caldwell, an MLS analyst for TSN, told MailSport : “He’s impressive. A good football guy.
“He’s a student of the game. He’s dead focused on tactics and patterns of play. He’s a sort of total-football kind of guy.
“He’s had great success in MLS. Winning the MLS Cup is huge. Basically that’s winning the league.
“To do it with a team like Columbus, even though they had good players, was quite an achievement.
“Before that, his Montreal team had a lot of Canadian internationals like Alistair Johnston. They had some great success.
“He’s certainly one of the best, if not the best coach in MLS. And he has been for two or three years.”
However, while Nancy has proved himself on the other side of the Atlantic, ex-Burnley and Newcastle defender Caldwell has warned fans that the huge jump from Columbus Crew to Celtic Park would come with no guarantee the Frenchman would be a hit in Scotland.
He said: “Is he ready for Celtic? I don’t know. My personal opinion is it’s a big jump, especially where the club are now.
“What’s going on there, what’s gone on with recruitment? Does he have the absolute best players?
“Is it a great time for the club? I’m not so sure.
“He’s got his work cut out. But he feels like he’s been chomping at the bit for a big European club. It feels like this is the one.”
Rodgers departed Celtic almost three weeks ago after the fall-out over a turbulent summer transfer window reached a head.
Nancy has never worked with the kind of budget the Parkhead board could potentially hand him.
Hoops chiefs are understood to believe he will be able to work within their transfer policy.
Caldwell said: “Nancy has never had the luxury of buying the biggest designated players in the league, which is essentially a European-style transfer format where you just buy whoever you want.
“So he’s had to wheel and deal in the league. I don’t think you could claim he’s been right down the bottom of the order but it’s been challenging.”
Whether Nancy has the character to handle the Glasgow goldfish bowl is another matter. He would be taking over at a time when the Hoops trail Hearts in the league too.
Caldwell said: “Is he ready for the pressure? I really don’t know. I mean, who is?
“It’s going to be a shock. You can tell people what it’s like in Glasgow but until they’re there, they’ll never understand it!
Celtic Interim Manager Martin O’Neill (Image: SNS Group)
“He’s a private guy. I don’t think he’ll get in much bother.
“He doesn’t seem to have a massive ego. He won’t be saying controversial things or getting involved with the politics. He’ll diffuse things not put petrol on them.
“I hope he’s a success. I like him. He’s a good guy. I used to speak to him when I had a Montreal game. His teams play good stuff and he has great ideas.
“The guys who play under him really like him as a coach and he gets the best out of players.
“Players want clarity and they know exactly what’s expected of them.
“He’s got a distinct style. He always plays 3-4-2-1. So while there’s movement and fluidity, he rarely plays four at the back.
“That will be interesting because I know Celtic have never really been a back-three team.”
