Celtic can land dream Nancy upgrade by hiring “kamikaze” 4-3-3 manager
Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy is very quickly learning about the intense pressure that comes with managing the Scottish Premiership giants after losing his first four matches.
The Hoops board, however, have put their support behind the new head coach, despite an unprecedentedly poor start to his reign, and are not looking to sack him already.
Nancy is the first manager in Celtic’s history to lose his first four games as a manager, just as he was the first manager to lose his first three games in charge, but he has the support of those above him.
Why Celtic should consider sacking Wilfried Nancy
If the Hoops do not produce a positive result against Aberdeen at Parkhead on Sunday, the Scottish giants should seriously consider ending his time at the club already.
His attempts to implement a 3-4-2-1 system have been dismal, as evidenced by the results, and the second half against Dundee United could be used as evidence for why it is not a formation that suits Celtic’s domestic standing.
The system worked early on when Dundee United pressed high, providing the wing-backs with space in behind to stretch the game, and they created chances, including the goal scored by Daizen Maeda, as a result of that.
However, when Jim Goodwin tightened his defence up and United dropped into a low-block, especially after they went 2-1 up, Celtic found it hard to break them down and create chances.
In a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation, you can push both full-backs on and create overloads centrally and out wide to break down a low block, moving them side to side, but that is not as easy in a 3-4-2-1 because of the back three. Instead of having two centre-backs distributing the ball to break down that block, Celtic had Liam Scales, Auston Trusty, and Anthony Ralston passing to each other across the halfway line.
When one of those did move forward to help the attack, it meant that the Hoops were relying on central defender Liam Scales’ crossing ability to find an equaliser, which did not work out.
With Nancy’s system seemingly being unsuited to what Celtic need domestically, it may already be time to end his reign to appoint Kjetil Knutsen instead.
Why Celtic should appoint Kjetil Knutsen
The Bodo/Glimt boss was reportedly one of the frontrunners to replace Brendan Rodgers before the job eventually went to Nancy, and they should revisit that interest if they decide to part ways with the Frenchman.
Knutsen, who favours a 4-3-3 formation (Transfermarkt), just finished second in the Eliteserien with Bodo/Glimt, missing out by just one point in the 2025 campaign.
Whilst missing out on a title may not scream ‘perfect Celtic manager’, the Norwegian head coach’s overall career with Bodo/Glimt shows that he has the coaching nous to be an excellent appointment.
Nancy had only won the MLS Cup once in his managerial career, which came in 2023 with Columbus Crew, who had previously won the title in 2020 and 2008 under different managers, per Transfermarkt.
Knutsen, however, took over a Bodo/Glimt side that had never been champions of Norway and has won four Eliteserien titles in his time in charge of the club.
Season
Knutsen (Eliteserien)
Nancy (MLS)
2025
2nd
7th
2024
1st
2nd
2023
1st
3rd (MLS Cup winners)
2022
2nd
2nd
2021
1st
10th
2020
1st
N/A
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, the Norwegian boss has been far more successful in domestic football as a manager, with a club, in Bodo/Glimt, that had less success than Columbus Crew had before their respective managers took over.
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Knutsen, whose former captain Bodo/Glimt Ulrik Saltnes described his playing style as “kamikaze”, also plays attacking football with a 4-3-3 system, as his team scored 85 goals in 30 league games in 2025, per Sofascore.
He could also be an upgrade on Nancy because of his experience in Europe. The Bodo/Glimt tactician reached the semi-finals of the Europa League last season and qualified for the league phase of the Champions League this term, something Celtic failed to do under Rodgers.
Whereas Nancy’s only match in European football to date was the 3-0 loss to Roma in his second match in charge of the Scottish giants last week.
Celtic now making enquiries for new manager in the hours since Lawwell exit
Nancy’s disastrous start became even worse in midweek.
1 ByTom Cunningham
Therefore, Knutsen could come in as an immediate upgrade on the current Celtic boss because of his style, playing a four-defender system that is better suited to breaking down low blocks, his history of winning league titles, and his experience in Europe.