The reason why Wilfried Nancy left CF Montreal shows he won’t bow down to Celtic board

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Barring any major mishaps, it seems that Wilfried Nancy will become the next Celtic manager.

Reports say that Nancy will be appointed on 1 December, as the final details are being ironed out to bring him to the Hoops.

Plenty of supporters are excited by the prospect of the Frenchman joining, who has earned rave reviews for his work in the MLS.

Before joining Columbus Crew, the 48-year-old was in charge at CF Montreal but left under a cloud.

While it may have been a disappointing end to his time at the club, Celtic fans will be keen to know that their incoming boss won’t bow down to the board.

• READ MORE: Colin Miller’s Wilfried Nancy and Russell Martin comparison can easily be debunked by clear fact

Why Wilfried Nancy left CF Montreal

Nancy left Montreal in December 2022 after tensions between himself and the board a few months earlier.

Montreal chairman Joey Sapurto ended up getting into a verbal disagreement with the 48-year-old after a defeat to a side at the bottom of the table.

As a result, Nancy wanted to leave immediately but was convinced to stay for a little bit longer.

At his Columbus unveiling, the Frenchman didn’t deny reports of a fall out, saying: “There’s nothing to say. Now was the moment for me to move and do something different. There’s no comparison between any club. This is a new project. I’m happy to start here.

“I had this opportunity to come to Columbus. It was clear it was something I wanted to do. Everything is good here. It’s a new project and I’m happy for that. In Montreal, I did what I had to do. I’m really proud of what we did the last two years.”

Wilfried Nancy won’t be a yes man at Celtic

One thing Celtic fans will demand is that the manager is on their side.

Tensions between fans and the board are at an all-time high after the disastrous AGM which saw Peter Lawwell adjourn the meeting early.

The lack of urgency in the transfer window has been a major problem for Celtic and Nancy will need to perform some major surgery on the squad.

That will require someone with a firm stance and a manager that demands the very best.

Time will tell if that is actually the case, but Nancy’s previous actions suggest that he will do his best to get what he wants, and not what the board think will be the cheapest option.