What Thierry Henry once said about Celtic manager target Wilfried Nancy should get fans excited

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Wilfried Nancy’s name continues to do the rounds in Celtic’s manager search.

For those who don’t know, Nancy began his coaching career at Canadian side CF Montreal, where he was initially working under the stewardship of Thierry Henry.

That road then led the Celtic manager target to Columbus Crew, where Nancy lifted his first piece of silverware, including the MLS Cup in 2023, when they beat LAFC.

At the time, CBS Sports pitted Henry and his former assistant together, and the legendary striker spoke in glowing terms about the man now tipped to become Celtic’s next manager.

• READ MORE: Everything we know about Celtic’s search for a new manager

Thierry Henry’s praise for Celtic manager target Wilfried Nancy

Celtic fans are frantically trying to find out as much as they can about Nancy. What is he like? His style, and among other things.

Speaking in December 2023, CBS Sports, an American broadcaster, was praising Nancy for winning the MLS Cup, and they brought him on the show alongside Henry.

The former Arsenal player mentioned how Nancy likes to see the game played a certain way, and that’s ‘to be on the ball and to possess the ball.’

The game which Henry was referring to was the Columbus Crew’s 2-1 win over LAFC in the 2023 MLS Cup, as the 1998 World Cup winner also lauded Nancy for becoming the first black coach to lift that trophy.

Host Kate Scott, when introducing Nancy: “It was championship game day in the MLS, and what a day for Thierry’s former assistant coach, Wilfried Nancy. His Columbus Crew beat LAFC 2-1 to win the 2023 MLS Cup.”

Henry: “I wanted to congratulate you because you’re the first black manager to win the MLS Cup, so from the bottom of my heart, I know how important it was for you to be the first one, and to do it your way.

“Also, in the way that you like to play, and that ball and that goal that Yeboah has scored, that’s you all day.

“That pass, the diamond. We can see here Cuho (Hernandez) scoring, but that pass I’m talking about. I know how hard you work. I know how much of a lover of the game you are, and how you like to see the game be played a certain way. To be on the ball and to possess the ball.

“From the bottom of my heart, man. Well done.”