As hypothesis mounts about Celtic’s subsequent everlasting supervisor, one title that includes prominently is Wilfried Nancy of Columbus Crew.
So, how did the comparatively younger, comparatively unheralded Frenchman come to such prominence within the dialog round who will in the end substitute Brendan Rodgers?
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BBC Scotland has been having a look, with the assistance of the previous United States striker Herculez Gomez, who has adopted Nancy’s rise for broadcaster ESPN of their protection of Main League Soccer.
‘Meteoric rise’ for first black supervisor to win MLS title
One of many first issues to impress onlookers, other than Nancy’s model of soccer, is the pace of his rise to prominence.
The 48-year-old landed his first managerial job in 2021, taking on from his pal and former boss Thierry Henry at CF Montreal. Not dangerous for a person who, only a few quick years earlier, was teaching under-14 women.
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It seems Nancy isn’t any stranger to a steep studying curve, as Gomez explains. “He has an concept of how he desires to play, it’s extremely courageous, it’s extremely nuanced,” mentioned the American.
“It is very New Age, trendy soccer, if you’ll, however in a loopy, mad scientist approach. That is who he is been from day one, and it is actually gone effectively. I say meteoric rise as a result of 2021 is when he acquired his first skilled stint as a supervisor, and since then, he is collected a number of titles. Canadian Championship, MLS Leagues Cup, MLS Cup.”
Born in Le Havre in 1977 to a father from Guadeloupe and a mom from West Africa, Nancy is already one thing of a trailblazer.
“He was the primary black head coach within the historical past of Main League Soccer to win a title,” Gomez defined.
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“They’d by no means had a black coach elevate the MLS Cup, and he did it with a sure sort of name, and I assume the easiest way to explain him is he is courageous in his soccer.
“Converse to his gamers they usually’ll say the result’s secondary. Secondary as a result of he desires to implement the model first, and the remainder follows.”
‘No shock’ he is on Celtic’s radar
Three issues may have attracted Celtic’s curiosity. Nancy is a confirmed winner, his groups play quick, attacking soccer and he already has a unfastened connection to the membership since his assistant at Columbus Crew, Kwame Ampadu, labored with the Parkhead membership’s director of soccer operations, Paul Tisdale, at Exeter Metropolis.
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Nancy is also accessible right away, because the Crew’s season is over and Gomez is not in in the least shocked to see him linked to a giant European membership.
“He is had a number of suitors chasing him through the years, within the English recreation pyramid and in France,” he mentioned. “Celtic is a large membership, a large model. Nowhere that he is been, Montreal or Columbus, has he had the pockets that he would have at Celtic.
“So, to select and select the weather you need could also be useful to him, could swimsuit his model, however it’s a tradition shock. It is positively a shock the way in which he desires to play.
“The primary time I noticed his crew, I used to be a bit amused. The goalkeeper has to play excessive off his line, be good together with his ft. The centre-backs need to be superb with the ball, usually discover themselves in superior positions.
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The wing-backs are very very like we noticed within the Xabi Alonso Leverkusen years, the place they will be prime attackers, and perhaps purpose scorers and facilitators.
“There’s quite a lot of creativity, free stream. I am not shocked {that a} crew like Celtic is him. If it is not Celtic, it’s going to be one other crew, that is for certain.”
Comparisons with Champions League winner
WIlfried Nancy received with MLS Cup with Columbus Crew in 2023 [Getty Images]
After dropping within the title of Actual Madrid boss Alonso, whose very good Bayer Leverkusen facet turned the primary facet to win the Bundesliga undefeated, Gomez is not afraid to check Nancy to a different nice of the present European teaching fraternity, Champions League-winning Paris St-Germain head coach Luis Enrique.
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“Everyone’s searching for the subsequent large factor,” he defined.
“If I might get someplace near his model, it will be Luis Enrique’s PSG. Enrique bases his philosophy off the interpretation of house, time and motion. There aren’t any set positions.
“‘Relacionismo’, they are saying in Spanish. It is the way you relate to a sure sector on the sphere and how one can advance and actually devour your opponent in numbers. That is Wilfred Nancy.
“And there is a cause he is garnering consideration. It is as a result of his model is so pleasing to the attention. It is catchy. It will also be a Catch-22 each now and again, since you’re taking part in on the sting. It is a double-sided sword, however definitely he is been on the higher facet of that sword.
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“I see quite a lot of traits that would make him profitable on an even bigger stage, with extra money, with extra consideration, He was MLS coach of the yr final yr however he did not want the title to be considered the most effective. He is immensely revered.
“Actually the philosophy of, ‘that is who we’re, that is how we’ll play, and we’re not straying from it’ could be very a lot Luis Enrique.”
Immediate affect
One factor that might be music to the ears of the Celtic board and supporters is that Nancy, in Gomez’s opinion, is comfy with expectations of fast success. In different phrases, Nancy would not hold round in relation to tradition change.
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“He makes issues work comparatively quick,” Gomez mentioned. “That is price noting. Oftentimes, it takes coaches a while to implement an id, a method.
“He is hit the bottom working in two totally different locations, whether or not it is Montreal, a crew of decrease sources, or Columbus Crew, a crew that has been identified to let go of the purse strings each now and again and usher in some good expertise.
“He is achieved effectively in numerous settings, so it is price noting that whenever you get Wilfried Nancy, you get anyone who’s used to creating issues occur pretty shortly.”
What might Celtic followers anticipate?
If Nancy does get the gig in Glasgow, Gomez has a easy message for the Celtic diaspora: “Strap yourselves in.”
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“You are going to get a coach who has an id and a approach of taking part in that followers relate to, that followers really feel pleased with,” he added.
“You are getting a coach who is aware of what he is doing, you are getting a coach who desires to specific himself on the sphere and also you’re getting a winner.
“That is what Wilfried Nancy has been in his very quick, meteoric rise. He is a winner.”