Nancy 'a gamble' for Celtic but brings 'great track record'

Appointing Wilfried Nancy as manager is "going to be a gamble" for Celtic considering he does not even have a "huge profile" in his native France, according to AFP Sport football editor Andy Scott.

But he stressed on BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast that coming from Major League Soccer to the Scottish Premiership should not be seen as a step up for the 48-year-old Columbus Crew head coach.

"It is still perceived to be a big step up to go from MLS to a major European name, which Celtic are," Scott said.

"In terms of coming to a club with ambitions of doing well in European competition, that is where you are making a big step up to a level that he is not yet familiar with.

"In coming to work in the Scottish Premiership from the MLS, I wouldn't worry about that in terms of the step up, but it's a completely different football culture, that's for sure.

"We have to bear in mind that, these days, if you look at the quality of player in Major League Soccer, the reality is that it's a higher level than Scottish football for the most part. Wilfried Nancy has certainly worked with a high calibre of player."

Scott admitted Celtic's interest in Nancy is "a bit leftfield".

"He's not a huge profile in France," he said. "He's French, but he didn't play in the top flight and he's been working in north America for the last decade and more.

"So this is the opportunity he has been looking for I think to come back to Europe and work for a big club here.

"He's got a great track record. He's done very well in the MLS and previously he was working at Montreal under Thierry Henry as his assistant, so he's been working with some big names in the coaching industry.

"This is a guy who has been linked with some big jobs in the French league in the past year and now he's got the opportunity to come to Europe with Celtic.

"It's going to be gamble for Celtic, but clearly it's a job that he believes he is up to."