Landon Donovan and Tim Howard defend Wilfried Nancy after Celtic dismissal

Goal reports that Celtic dismissed Wilfried Nancy 33 days into his tenure after the Old Firm loss to Rangers, a decision that drew public defence from USMNT legends Landon Donovan and Tim Howard.

Speaking on the Unfiltered Soccer podcast, Donovan said: “He’s much better than what it turned into at Celtic. From the outside, everything looked set up to succeed, but when results don’t go your way that fast, you don’t get the chance to build anything.” Howard said the brief spell should not damage Nancy’s reputation, adding: “A club like Celtic on your résumé opens doors everywhere, especially in MLS,” and that Nancy should be patient and wait for a project that offers authority and stability. Nancy oversaw eight matches, recording two wins and six defeats, and Celtic also confirmed the departure of head of football operations Paul Tisdale in an official statement.

Nancy’s dismissal came days after Celtic completed the signing of Julián Araujo from Bournemouth; Araujo made his debut in the derby loss and now faces settling in without the coach who championed his arrival. Celtic announced the return of Martin O’Neill as head coach through the end of the 2025–26 season; O’Neill previously led the club from 2000 to 2005, winning seven trophies, including three Scottish Premiership titles.

Key Topics

Sports, Wilfried Nancy, Landon Donovan, Tim Howard, Celtic, Martin O'neill