Clock ticking at the Meinau
RC Strasbourg Alsace are racing to appoint a new manager before their players return for pre-season on July 8th, with Wilfried Nancy currently the frontrunner to take charge. The Alsace club face a compressed timeline following Gary O’Neil’s surprise departure last month to join newly-promoted Premier League side Ipswich Town.
O’Neil’s exit came merely six months after his January arrival, when he replaced Liam Rosenior. The Englishman’s brief tenure ended when he opted to return to England with Ipswich, leaving Strasbourg without a permanent head coach just days before their scheduled return to training.
Nancy eyes Ligue 1 return
Nancy has been without a managerial position since leaving Scottish giants Celtic in January. His stint in Glasgow lasted only eight matches and followed a successful period with Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew. The Frenchman has since made clear his intention to work in France’s top flight.
Speaking to RMC Sport in May, Nancy said: “Now, I want to come to Ligue 1, if there is an opportunity. I am not the one who decides, but I am ready.” That opportunity may now materialise at Strasbourg, where he would succeed a manager who previously held posts at AFC Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Third appointment in twelve months
Should Nancy be confirmed, he would become the club’s third permanent manager within a calendar year. Rosenior departed for Chelsea after a short spell at the Meinau, while O’Neil’s tenure proved equally transient before his move to Suffolk.
This managerial instability leaves the new incumbent with significant work to stabilise the squad before competitive action resumes. With the Ligue 1 campaign approaching, the new coach would have minimal time to assess his inherited playing staff and implement tactical systems.
Nancy’s potential arrival would bring experience from both the North American circuit and British football to a side seeking to establish consistency. His appointment would also represent a homecoming for the Frenchman, who has spent recent years abroad building his managerial credentials.