Auston Trusty says he was rooting for Wilfried Nancy as a man of colour in charge of Celtic.
Just about everything that could’ve gone wrong during Nancy’s spell did go wrong. He was dismissed along with Paul Tisdale after just 33 days.
Hired due to his success with Columbus Crew in MLS with an acclaimed brand of football, his immediate changes to the team’s approach correlated with an instant downturn in results.
Put simply, it just didn’t work. Trusty has reflected on the spell five months on.
Sum up Wilfried Nancy’s 33 days at Celtic in one word…
Auston Trusty: I’d heard good things about Wilfried Nancy
The Celtic defender said of Nancy in an interview with The Athletic: “I was rooting for him. I’d heard good things from guys who played for him.
“I also really wanted to see a person of colour excel in a predominantly white coaching environment.
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“People of colour are still dealing with an imperfect situation. So, for him coming into that world — not Celtic, but soccer in general — you want him to succeed and create opportunities for others in the future.
“That’s always in my mind: in the States, my dad grew up in a still-segregated country. I heard the stories growing up, still do, and my brain still goes to that.
“Wilfried came in during a tough, hectic time. We had a first-place game, a cup final and a Europa League game all in one week.
“He’s a really nice guy, so I texted him when he left. I’m sure he was very emotional.”
Nancy’s permanent tenure at Celtic began under immense pressure and ultimately resulted in a disastrous outcome for the club.
Following an initial streak of victories under interim manager Martin O’Neill, Nancy’s first week in the dugout was marked by a 2-1 loss to Hearts, a 3-0 defeat to Roma, and a 3-1 loss to St Mirren, as Trusty mentions.
These consecutive defeats significantly damaged team morale, with a subsequent 1-0 loss to Dundee United causing fans to demand his immediate removal.
Despite brief signs of recovery with victories against Aberdeen and Livingston that eased intense media scrutiny, a critical seven-day stretch resulting in losses to Motherwell and Rangers solidified the failure of his tenure, concluding his brief time in Glasgow.
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