DUNDEE, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 17: Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy during a William Hill Premiership match between Dundee United and Celtic at the CalForth Construction Arena at Tannadice Park, on December 17, 2025, in Dundee, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Wilfried Nancy goes into Sunday’s match against Aberdeen with a record of THREE wins in his last 11 matches.
On Thursday via their friends at the Daily Record and Sky Sports Celtic got the message out that the Frenchman was still managing the club.
That followed a frenzy of speculation that Nancy was about to be sacked, triggered by a tweet from Peter Martin.
The broadcaster is well favoured and connected inside Celtic, he didn’t get the sacking claim from a forwarded WhatsApp message.
NANCY BACKGROUND
Four defeats on the bounce led to the question being asked. Many were already asking how someone with four years managerial experience in the MLS got the Celtic job in the first place. Paul Tisdale, former Exeter City manager is the answer to that question.
Nancy was a lower league journeyman in France, playing less than 30 matches dotted across a variety of small town clubs.
He had one decent season at Columbus Crew, it wasn’t 2025 when Columbus finished seventh in the 15 team Eastern Conference. Over 34 matches Columbus had a record of W 14, D 12, L 8.
Since the start of September Columbus had a record of D, L, D, W, L, D, L, D, W, L, W, L.
And on that basis he was appointed Celtic manager!
After three defeats Michael Nicholson doubled down on his support for his newly appointed manager:
We’ve had some disappointing results, not least on Sunday. In that respect, I understand that the Celtic support are concerned about where we are.
I understand and respect the right of every supporter to express their discontent and share that with us, but we know where we want to go and step by step it’s all of our job is to support Wilfried, his team and the squad to take us where we want to get to.
The starting point is now. I met with Wilfried this week to discuss recruitment ahead of the January transfer window and also looking ahead to the summer transfer window because we know that we’ve got a project to support here.
We’re excited about where we’re going to get to and that’s going to take time, both day to day within the training environment, but also month to month, window to window.
We know that when we get to that stage in the summer, hopefully having had success this season, we’ll be looking ahead to next season with great optimism with Wilfried and his team.
Nicholson was speaking before the defeat to Dundee United.
THE FUTURE IS WILF?
His backing for Nancy is badly misplaced, keeping him around one day longer is another day lost in the chances of winning the SPFL title.
Having Nancy in charge for the January 3 Glasgow Derby could be the biggest mistake of Nicholson’s time as Celtic CEO.
Over 136 matches in charge of Columbus Crew Nancy averaged 1.8 points per game.
At Montreal his record was an average of 1.65 points over 79 games. Of course at Celtic it is 0 points from four matches.
There is no Nancy media conference today, an embargoed conference took place straight after the Dundee United defeat.
CLICK HERE for Nancy stats on Transfermarkt
Your verdict on exiting Chairman Peter Lawwell
HERO: a LEGEND, one of the true Celtic greats
ZERO: Personal interest before Celtic every time
Smacks a bit of the Yamada signing. He had a good season the year before, tisdale can polish him up a bit. Depressing
Joe i don’t share Nicholsons excitement with his vision on where we are going under Nancy, one clueless clown talking up a cheap option clown, sooner there’s a clean out the better because we’re only heading in one direction under this board and fancy Nancy
This Clown has all the hallmarks of Dr Joe , would bet my house on him winning zero
[MN] “…The starting point is now…”
Wrong.
The starting point for the Board was back in May:
the day after we lost the Scottish Cup, [if not before?]
The starting point then was for the Board to make a decision: do we back or sack BR?
And that indecision is a main contributing factor to the absolute sh!tshow
we are all suffering now.
The club’s reputation is also being dragged through the mud by the
grossly overpaid, incompetents on the Board. 🙁
Thanks Nicholson you fuckin utter utter scumbag for fucking up all our Christmas’s !
Those Board members still remaining, obviously are only interested one aspect of their jobs. Collecting their pay cheque on the last Friday of the month!
If as reported that Peter Martin was the instigator of these “sacking reports” . how can we trust a man who won’t even tell you his own name?? His name is Peter McGuire, from around Carlin / Newarthill area, who changed his name to get a job as a reporter! Yes, with the free mason / orange order run press in Scotland, I can see why he did it but he hiding his birth name and to me that is a no go!stand up for what and who you are , not hide beside a nondeplume!,