Why An MLS Return Seems Inevitable for Wilfried Nancy

GLASGOW, Scotland – Wilfried Nancy’s departure from Celtic after just 33 days in charge brought an abrupt end to a short and ultimately ill-fitting chapter in the Frenchman’s managerial career.

While Celtic’s statement was brief and respectful, the decision to terminate Nancy’s contract with immediate effect underlined a clear mismatch between the club’s demands and the environment in MLS, in which Nancy has historically thrived.

For Nancy and his staff, the moment should be viewed less as a setback and more as a natural turning point, one that makes a return to Major League Soccer a logical and potentially restorative next step.

Nancy’s recent record in MLS remains among the strongest of any coach in the league over the past decade. Appointed head coach of the Columbus Crew in December 2022, he quickly transformed the club into a domestic force and an emerging presence on the international stage. Under his leadership, the Crew produced back-to-back seasons with their highest regular-season point totals, culminating in an MLS Cup win in 2023 and a club record 62 points in 2024.

Columbus also became the first MLS club to reach three major tournament finals within a nine-month period, advancing to the 2023 MLS Cup, the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Final, and the 2024 Leagues Cup Final. That run was capped in style by lifting the Leagues Cup with a 3–1 victory over LAFC in August 2024.

Nancy’s teams were defined not only by results but by a clear stylistic identity built on controlled possession, positional discipline, and attacking freedom.

The 2024 season in particular reflected the scale of that progress. The Crew set club records for wins, goals, goal differential, away wins, away goals, and the number of unique goal scorers, all while managing a club-high 50 matches across competitions. Those achievements earned Nancy the 2024 Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year award, recognition that reflected both performance and progression.

Player development has long been a defining feature of Nancy’s coaching, a strength that translated seamlessly from his academy background to first-team success. In Columbus, defender Steven Moreira was named MLS Defender of the Year, while forward Cucho Hernández finished second in the Landon Donovan MLS MVP voting, only narrowly losing out to Lionel Messi. Both were selected to the MLS Best XI, alongside teammates Rudy Camacho, Darlington Nagbe, and Diego Rossi. The Crew’s five All-Star selections were the most of any club in the league.

Nancy’s first season with Columbus concluded with the 2023 MLS Cup title, the club’s third league championship. That triumph made him the first Black head coach to win an MLS Cup and reinforced his reputation as a leader capable of delivering in high-pressure moments. The season also highlighted his impact on individual growth, with Cucho Hernández named MLS Cup MVP and multiple players earning senior international call-ups.

This success built on the progress Nancy had shown at CF Montréal, where he served as head coach in 2021 and 2022. In his final season there, Montréal posted a club-record 20 wins and finished third overall in MLS with 65 points, narrowly missing out on the Supporters’ Shield. His work in Montréal was widely regarded as one of the league’s most impressive coaching performances of that period.

Celtic, by contrast, represents a uniquely demanding environment defined by immediate results, constant scrutiny, and minimal tolerance for transition.

For a coach whose strengths lie in building structure, cultivating tactical buy-in, and developing players over time, the margin for adjustment was narrow from the outset. Scottish football’s compressed competitive landscape and intense external pressure left little room for the long-term processes that have underpinned Nancy’s best work.

MLS continues to offer a far more natural fit. The league values coaches who can navigate heavy schedules, integrate young talent, compete across multiple competitions, and implement modern tactical ideas. These are precisely the areas in which Nancy has consistently excelled. His credibility within the league remains strong, and his recent success is measurable and can't be dismissed.

That applies equally to his coaching staff. Kwame Ampadu, Jules Gueguen, and Maxime Chalier have been integral to the environments Nancy has built, contributing to both tactical clarity and player development. Any MLS club seeking a reset or rebuild would be acquiring not just a head coach but a cohesive and proven technical group within the league.

Nancy’s reputation does not require rehabilitation so much as recalibration. MLS clubs will undoubtedly believe his achievements in North America significantly outweigh his brief and challenging time at Glasgow.

Not only that, but a return to MLS would allow him to operate once again in a league that understands his methods, values his strengths, and has already rewarded his vision with sustained success.