Brendan Rodgers was preparing for Celtic’s next game against Falkirk which was just a coupe of days away when Dermot Desmond’s axe fell and as a result it was Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney in the Celtic dugout at Celtic Park to handle the side against John McGlynn’s visitors.
So things can change quickly in football and that’s the same all over the world including in United States. So the headlines being created by Columbus Crew’s General Manager Issa Tall that Celtic can forget all about bringing in Wilfried Nancy because he’s busy preparing for the 2026 MLS campaign are clearly nonsense .
IF Celtic do want Nancy as our next manager and the Frenchman wants the job then it’s going to be a matter of agreeing the required level of compensation to make the deal happen. Money, not a fixture list in the distance will determine whether the deal can get done or not, IF that’s the choice the Celtic powerbrokers, led by Dermot Desmond, make.
“Wilfried is under contract. We’re in deep discussions about expanding the squad for next year, developing preseason plans, all that good stuff,” Issa Tall stated.
Pressed on whether he could categorically rule out a departure for Nancy in the US offseason, Tall added: “What’s the future going to bring? … You never know. You have to be prepared for anything, but the way things are going, he’s under contract.”
It is understood that Nancy is contracted to Columbus Crew for another two seasons, taking him through to 2027. While Celtic has received large sums in compensation from the likes of Leicester City in 2019 when Brendan Rodgers left the first time, with Celtic collecting around £7.5m from that one, it’s hard to imagine Celtic forking out multi-millions to secure what would have to be regarded as a left-field, rookie manager.
Much of course will depend on Nancy’s contractual terms which, if relevant amid ongoing speculation, Celtic will be well aware of and the lowballing will begin.
Nancy, speaking at yesterday media conference when asked about the Celtic job said: “I’m not here to talk about myself. I’m here to talk about the team. I have nothing to say about any kind of reports.”
Until a deal is done Nancy obviously has to watch what he says about any links to another job, but those remarks clearly don’t amount to a denial. So as is often the case in football, it’s going to come down to the money as Celtic’s ambition, and desire to get the man that they want, comes under scrutiny in a year when each time that has happened they have been found wanting.
CELTIC STAR BOOKS OFFFER – BUY ONE GET ONE FREE!
Order David Potter’s final Celtic book, ‘Celtic in the Eighties’ and you’ll receive a copy that has been personally signed by legendary Celtic captain Danny McGrain. Plus you’ll also receive a complementary copy of Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style! Order Celtic in the Eighties at Celtic Star Books and we’ll do the rest. Please note that postage will only be charged on one book but you’ll receive both!
-
![Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter]()
- Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter, personally signed by Danny McGrain
-
![Willie Fernie - Putting on the Style by David Potter]()
- Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style by David Potter
Wilfried Nancy is not the one for me. It doesn’t exactly scream out “ambition” to me. If that’s who Celtic go for then i sincerely hope he proves me wrong.
The noises being made by Columbus Crew are standard and par for the course. It’s a backhanded way of saying you’re not getting him cheap.
Knutsen is my preferred choice but the problem with that is he’s not a ‘yes man’ and that will give our board the shitters. I think we can rule him out as a serious contender. I think his name has just been thrown out there to add a bit of perceived quality to the “list of candidates”. But they’ve no intention of seriously pursuing him.
We will see, time will tell.
I’ll admit I was totally against Ange becoming manager at the time, and was all in favour of Rodgers returning?
So certainly not going to be so judgemental about the next manager for ourselves, that’s for sure?
There can be nothing taken for granted success wise, whether that involves managers or players joining ourselves. Even though this 2 year cycle has been very successful in gaining total dominance in the Scottish game, but lacks the stability factor regarding squad strength for European ventures imo?
Can’t see the board wanting to give up it’s treasured player trading model, which makes a transfer market self sufficient, and income for European benefits the workings of the PLC.
Even contracts possibly handed out to management, coaching staff and players alike, are possibly at the lower end of the scale, with plenty of room for decent bonus payments for success gained, especially in European competition?
So if such a structure exists within a boardroom, which also seems to be a growing trend within the other Scottish teams at present, then struggling to see how things will actually change at boardroom levels, across the entire Scottish game, without any big TV deal on offer?
Course we can go on a big spending spree, and make the SPFL a non competitive league, but how long will the ST sales stay in place, if only the scramble for tickets for European and hamden, and of course Glasgow Derby tickets was to start becoming our normality?
So therefore, fail to see how a Trust or collective is going to have any success, with any intentions that they might have in mind imo?
So development of players within the Scottish game, is potentially key for ourselves trying to get back to becoming a respected CL team imo?
The Scottish game is hardly an attractive proposition for players, and becoming a harder sell, with each passing season by the looks of things.
So trying to develop players for and on the European stage, is still possibly going to mean a high turnover in players each summer, which effects the stability of the squad hugely in quality and stability which is a requirement for the higher ends of European football for ourselves imo?
So as much as calls for an overhaul in boardroom regarding personal, still think there won’t be to many changes regarding structure involved imo?
Hence a bigger requirement will be placed upon a manager to improve development for the player trading model, and keeping Scottish dominance intact also.
Trying to form a better level of stability within a playing squad required, will be determined by the development structure put in place?
If that isn’t achieved, then the European stage will remain at hit and miss levels, where other European teams have been better prepared to the changes that the revamped European competitions have bought about?
As a club this season, we are very much trying to play catch up, and got exposed badly. The AGM might bring more clarity regarding the money issues, within the club. But the AGM is nothing more than a congratulations party for the money men within our club, for which I hold no interest within.
Any changes to a footballing structure, won’t take effect until next summer, especially with so much still to play for, and not even at the mid season point yet?
So not going to be a simple process involved for any manager to walk into, regarding what is involved within the whole process of his duties that will be required of himself.
Personally still believe that the stability factor MoN has bought into our club recently, is the biggest factor we require at present imo. And even that is under massive pressure with a fixture list incoming, injury list as it is, along with potentially a list of players looking at the exit door come January?
So overall it could be looked upon as a shambolic situation to find ourselves in. Yet there is still so much to play for on a footballing front also.
Wouldn’t like to be the one having to be making the massive decisions that awaits, and especially for whoever the manager becomes at having to make the amount of decisions involved within our squad alone.
So personally believe that a development agenda is going to the biggest requirement of a new manager, moreso than just throwing money at the playing squad imo?
Money will get spent upon the playing squad, but nothing can be taken for granted, especially within the markets we are trying to operate within, that will require potential development regardless of the spend involved.
If Nancy is given the green light to take on whats involved within the whole footballing structure involved, then good luck to him, as a massive job awaits for whoever is appointed in our managerial role imo?