Wilfried Nancy is the talk of the town amongst everyone, as the Frenchman is linked to the head coaching vacancy at Celtic FC of the Scottish Premier League. If Nancy were to take the job, it would not only be a massive loss for the Columbus Crew and Major League Soccer (MLS) but also represent a massive shift in the identity and progress of one of MLS’s most decorated clubs.

Nancy burst onto the MLS scene under Thierry Henry at CF Montreal, before taking over for the former Arsenal legend.

Nancy arrived in Columbus late in 2022, ahead of the 2023 season, and stamped his authority on the Black & Gold. While under his tenure, the Crew had two of its most successful seasons, both statistically and culturally.

In 2023, Nancy led the Crew to their third MLS Cup title in Club history, before enduring more success in 2024, where he led Columbus to new heights, setting franchise records for points (66), goals scored (72), and an outstanding +32 goal differential. For his efforts, Nancy was awarded the Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year award in 2024.

Not only will the results be challenging to replace, but the unique style of play will be as well.

Nancy has instilled a possession-oriented style of play, making Columbus unafraid to dominate games and very skilled at manipulating space with crucial line-breaking passes and overloads. Columbus shifted to a more modern style of soccer —bold, brash, and beautiful, as Taylor Twellman once said. If you were to subtract Nancy from this equation, you would unravel a very carefully constructed identity.

If there is another thing Wilfried Nancy is good at, it is player development.

Players across the field have flourished under the direction of the 48-year-old coach: Steven Moreira was named the 2024 MLS Defender of the Year, former striker Cucho Hernandez placed second in MLS MVP voting, and is now playing in La Liga for Real Betis, to name a few. Being a crucial piece in the development of young stars, like Patrick Schulte, Taha Habroune, and Jacen Russell-Rowe, his continuity is an asset. Once again, removing him from the equation could stall such a critical process within MLS clubs.

After signing a contract extension last year, Columbus was poised for a joyous 2025 season and beyond. Losing Nancy now will disrupt the foundation that he has built for the Black & Gold.

All in all, losing Nancy would be bad for the Columbus Crew because Nancy isn’t just a coach, no. He is the architect of their identity. While being tactically daring and having a track record of talent development, he is a rare figure in MLS. A sudden departure would leave a considerable void difficult to replace.

If the Crew wants to maintain the momentum they have built over the last three years and continue to push as a serious contender domestically and in Concacaf, keeping Nancy isn’t desirable. It’s essential.