Wilfried Nancy is now on the brink of being confirmed as Celtic’s new manager, marking what will be his first coaching job outside of North America. The French-Canadian tactician arrives with an impressive résumé, having won both the MLS Cup and the Leagues Cup over the past two seasons, achievements that earned him the MLS Coach of the Year award. He also guided Columbus Crew to last season’s CONCACAF Champions Cup final.
Stephen McGowan of The Herald reports that Nancy has recently sought insight from contacts with Scottish football experience and has already outlined the types of players he hopes to target in January. He is expected to bring trusted staff members with him, including former Exeter City U18s coach Kwame Ampadu and 35-year-old assistant Yoann Dammet.
Interim boss Martin O’Neill is set to hand over duties after matches against Feyenoord in the Europa League and Hibernian at Easter Road. Nancy is anticipated to take charge officially for next week’s home fixture against struggling Dundee.
The 48-year-old will inherit a club dealing with mounting tensions. O’Neill recently urged unity between the board and supporters after last week’s AGM descended into confrontation. Nancy’s imminent arrival ends weeks of speculation involving names such as Kieran McKenna, Robbie Keane, and Craig Bellamy.
With Columbus Crew failing to reach the MLS Cup playoffs, negotiations accelerated, giving Celtic the opportunity to push ahead with their managerial plans. Reinforcements are expected across several key areas in January, and Nancy intends to bring Ampadu and Dammet with him to begin shaping the new era at Celtic Park.
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