Celtic Confirm Wilfried Nancy’s Appointment as New Manager, With Key Columbus Crew Staff Joining Him
Celtic have officially announced Wilfried Nancy as their new manager, with several members of his Columbus Crew staff set to follow him to Glasgow.
The confirmation came shortly after Celtic’s 1–0 win over Dundee on Wednesday — a match that marked the end of Martin O’Neill’s interim spell in charge. The 73-year-old stepped in after Brendan Rodgers’ resignation and leaves having guided the team to five straight victories in all competitions, giving Nancy a strong platform to build on.
Nancy’s first game as Celtic manager will be at home against Hearts on Sunday, where he will be welcomed by the Celtic Park faithful. The Frenchman will be joined by fitness coach Jules Gueguen, video performance coach Maxime Chalier, and assistant coach Kwame Ampadu.
Ampadu had a varied playing career, including two appearances for Arsenal between 1988 and 1991, followed by spells with West Brom, Swansea City, and Leyton Orient, among others.
Nancy’s managerial journey began in earnest just four years ago, when he took over from Thierry Henry at CF Montreal. He went on to break multiple club records, including an MLS-record 11 away wins in the 2022 season. After retiring as a player, Ampadu coached in Arsenal’s academy before becoming Henry’s assistant at Monaco. He later joined Henry again in Montreal, staying on to work under Nancy before moving with him to Columbus Crew.
How Columbus Crew reacted to Nancy’s departure
The tone a club uses when saying goodbye to a manager can speak volumes, and in Nancy’s case, the response from Columbus Crew was overwhelmingly positive.
General manager Issa Tall said on Wednesday:
“It’s been a pleasure to work with Wilfried for three years as we were able to achieve many great things together during his time at the club. Although we wish it was in future years, we recognise Wilfried’s desire to test his skillset and philosophies outside of our league.
We wish him the best at Celtic, and he’ll always be a significant part of our club’s great history.”
Celtic supporters can take confidence from just how highly Nancy is regarded in North America. However, the real test of his credentials will come when he steps into the Celtic Park dugout for the first time on Sunday.
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