Wilfried Nancy appointed Celtic manager: Scottish Premiership champions confirm Brendan Rodgers’ permanent successor

Wilfried Nancy appointed Celtic manager: Scottish Premiership champions confirm Brendan Rodgers’ permanent successor | Football News

December 3, 2025:

Wilfried Nancy appointed Celtic manager: Scottish Premiership champions confirm Brendan Rodgers’ permanent successor | Football News

Celtic have named Wilfried Nancy as the club’s new manager on a two-and-a-half year deal.

The 48-year-old has joined from MLS side Columbus Crew to become Brendan Rodgers’ permanent successor, after he quit Parkhead for a second time in October.

Nancy’s first match will be against Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts on Sunday – live on Sky Sports – with the Frenchman taking over from interim boss Martin O’Neill on Thursday.

That is the first of three key fixtures within his first week as Hoops boss, with Celtic then hosting Roma in the Europa League next Thursday, before taking on St Mirren in the League Cup final at Hampden Park next Sunday.

Last year’s MLS Coach of the Year will be assisted by former Arsenal youth boss Kwame Ampadu, who was Nancy’s No 2 at CF Montreal and Columbus Crew.

Why Celtic wanted Nancy

Celtic see many similarities between Nancy and Ange Postecoglou, who left the club in 2023 to take over at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Frenchman was recommended by the club’s head of football operations, Paul Tisdale, who had been monitoring his progress for some time.

Postecoglou won titles in Australia and Japan, plus the Asian Cup with the Australian national team.

However, Nancy is younger than Postecoglou and has already won silverware in America and Canada.

Prior to his move to Glasgow, he won the Canadian Championship during his only season at CF Montreal, and helped Columbus Crew clinch the MLS Cup and Leagues Cup. He also guided Crew to the CONCACAF Champions Cup final during his three years in the US.

His impact has been recognised with not only club honours but also personal ones, after being named MLS Coach of the Year in 2024.

In just four years of management, Nancy has achieved success. This has come to the attention of Celtic, who feel he can make that next step into European football and be the permanent successor to Brendan Rodgers.

What can Celtic fans expect?

“Wilfred Nancy is one of the defining managers of the last half-decade in Major League Soccer.”

A bold statement, but MLS expert Tom Bogert is in no doubt about the quality of Celtic’s new boss.

“His tactical evolution, the way the team plays, how brave they are, how courageous, it’s total football that starts from the back,” The Athletic journalist added.

“He likes to play out of a back three, but his outside centre-backs have freedom to get forward.

“His wing-backs play like wingers. Both at Montréal and then Columbus, almost every attacker he’s worked with has had their best-ever season.

“He is a developmental manager. He gets the best out of young players, in prime players and older players, and he plays a front-footed possession-based attractive style of football.”

Sutton: Nancy must hit the ground running after O’Neill’s masterclass

Since taking over from Brendan Rodgers, O’Neill saw the gap on leaders Hearts close from an eight-point deficit to just two with a game in hand.

The Hoops are also in the League Cup final after beating Rangers, plus could yet qualify to the next stage of the Europa League after a 3-1 win away to Feyenoord.

Speaking on Sky Sports, former Celtic striker Chris Sutton said: “Martin took over a team which was low on confidence. There had been issues performance-wise all season.

“Had he lost a few games and things went badly, people would have said ‘he wasn’t up for the job, he never should have come back’.

“I was worried about his legacy, because of my relationship with him, but I’m absolutely delighted for him.”

When asked what O’Neill’s impressive run of results means for Nancy, Sutton added: “Every passing win is going to really put the pressure on him because everybody will expect Wilfred Nancy to come in with the team, which seems to be more confident, and hit the ground running.

“It won’t take long for things to turn, with Martin doing so well. I think it’s really difficult for him because there are three games a week, and there’s no real time to work on the training ground.

“If he does play a back three, which is apparently the way that he plays at Columbus Crew, to come in and implement that – I don’t think that’s easy.”

Celtic’s upcoming fixtures

Dundee (H) – Scottish Premiership – Wednesday
Hearts (H) – Scottish Premiership – Sunday – live on Sky Sports
Roma (H) – Europa League – December 11
St Mirren (N) – League Cup final – December 14
Dundee Utd (A) – Scottish Premiership – December 1 – live on Sky Sports
Aberdeen (H) – Scottish Premiership – December 21

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Why Celtic wanted Nancy

What can Celtic fans expect?

Sutton: Nancy must hit the ground running after O’Neill’s masterclass

O’Neill’s results as Celtic interim manager

Celtic’s upcoming fixtures