Wilfried Nancy has vowed to continue the winning spirit and unity rekindled under Martin O’Neill as he officially begins his tenure as Celtic’s new manager.
The French-Canadian coach, aged 48, was confirmed last night on a two-and-a-half-year deal, ending weeks of speculation over Brendan Rodgers’ long-term replacement. Celtic agreed to pay over £2 million in compensation to Columbus Crew, where Nancy led the MLS club to remarkable success and a distinct, possession-based style of play admired across the Atlantic.
As first revealed by Record Sport last month, Celtic identified Nancy as their top managerial target and were determined to secure his services before the turn of the year. He arrives at Parkhead with his trusted backroom team — Kwame Ampadu, Jules Gueguen, and Maxime Chalier, a performance and video analysis coach who worked closely with him in the United States.
Nancy inherits a side in excellent spirits following Martin O’Neill’s six-week caretaker spell, which saw Celtic climb back to joint-top of the Premiership table, reach the League Cup Final, and restore belief among the supporters.
O’Neill bowed out with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Dundee, an emotional farewell that saw fans serenade the club legend one last time. Reflecting on his brief but memorable return to the dugout, O’Neill said:
“It’s been brilliant. To even cut the gap at all would’ve been decent, but to bring it right back — that was fantastic.”
Nancy, who watched the Dundee game from afar, paid glowing tribute to both O’Neill and Shaun Maloney for steadying the ship and re-energising the dressing room.
“I am so happy to be named Celtic manager; it’s a massive honour for myself and my family,” Nancy said.
“Before I say anything else, I want to thank the great Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney for all they have done in recent weeks. They’ve done a fantastic job and have my total respect and gratitude. I hope to meet them both soon and thank them personally.”
Outlining his ambitions, Nancy continued:
“Celtic is one of the world’s great football clubs — full of heart, history, and incredibly high standards. I know the values of this club and what it means to our supporters. My No. 1 aim is simple: to give our fans an exciting, attacking, winning team they can be proud of.”
Nancy is expected to take charge of his first training session today, with O’Neill remaining available to assist in a short handover period. The new boss is understood to have followed the team’s recent matches closely, analysing tactics and player profiles ahead of his official start.
O’Neill, meanwhile, believes he is leaving the club in a strong position:
“I think I’ve left the players in good heart, with a bit of confidence about themselves now,” he said. “He’ll form his own opinions and approach, and that’s absolutely fine. I’ve no doubt he’ll do a great job.”
Dundee manager Steven Pressley praised his side for pushing Celtic all the way in their narrow defeat.
“You have to be perfect when you come to Parkhead. We weren’t quite perfect but we were very good. There were a lot of positives,” he said.
Nancy’s era officially begins this week — and Celtic fans will be eager to see how the stylish, forward-thinking coach builds on the O’Neill resurgence and guides the Hoops in their pursuit of silverware both domestically and in Europe.
