The 2024 MLS Coach of Year spoke with GOAL about both his and Hernandez's future, along with team's 2025 expectations
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Nancy happy to be in Columbus, but leaves door openNot surprised Hernandez is still on the rosterWon't use fatigue as an excuse for Crew's playoff exitFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱USA Today ImagesNANCY ADDRESSES FUTURE
MIAMI – Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy is happy to remain with his current club in Major League Soccer, but he didn't rule out a potential move in the future.
"I've been in situations when nobody knew me, nobody was talking about me, and [now they do]," Nancy said to GOAL at MLS Media Day. "Now so with my staff, everything for a moment, works well. So I'm happy in Columbus, and after that, we'll see."
Nancy's journey has been remarkable since joining MLS in 2011, originally joining as an academy coach at Montreal, then known as the Impact. After spending 11 years at the club in various coaching roles, he was promoted as the first manager under the rebranded C.F. Montreal in 2021 – following Thierry Henry's abrupt resignation.
The manager took a side that was expected to be in the cellar of MLS's Eastern Conference and brought it to a third-place finish in 2022, going on an unexpected run to the conference semifinals that year.
Following that he moved to the Crew, which had a higher payroll, and brought immediate success to the club as he became the first black coach to lead his club to a MLS Cup win in 2023. In addition to that success, Nancy's team had significant success in the 2024 Leagues Cup trophy, and subsequently he was named 2024 MLS Coach of the Year.
He was directly linked with the U.S. men's national team job before the team decided to hire former Chelsea, PSG, and Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino. He also continues to be linked with jobs in France's Ligue 1. When Nancy was asked about his prospects, specifically Europe, he responded with a mix of levity and candor, "I come from Europe. So maybe I can also come to, and coach in Africa."
AdvertisementUSA Today ImagesON CUCHO'S FUTURE
Nancy isn't the only person on the Crew whose future is in question. 2024 MLS MVP finalist Cucho Hernandez has been speculated to move abroad. The forward, who had 19 goals and 14 assists last season, has been linked with moves to La Liga, Liga MX and Brazil's Serie A. Still, the 25-year-old remains on the roster to the surprise of many observers, but not Nancy.
"You know when, when someone is good and is able to deliver good stuff, it's totally normal that there is an interest," Nancy said. "I'm not surprised. So now, we'll see what we're going to do."
When asked specifically if Hernandez is expected to remain with the club for the full season, Nancy replied, "He's here with us now, so we will see."
Nancy also pointed to Aidan Morris' transfer to Middlesbrough last season as an example of how fluid things can be, saying "Last year, we didn't plan for Aidan Morris to leave, and all the sudden, boom, he decided to leave."
ImagnON REBOUNDING FROM LAST SEASON
Last season, the Crew reached three finals and finished second in the Eastern Conference. Despite all of that, the Crew took home just one trophy – something Nancy hopes his side will learn from this year.
"Eighty-five percent of our players are going to be the same [from last season]," he said. "So the evolution is about the way we're going to try to attack, defend, we won't change anything, but we're going to add more uncertainty [for opponents]…Last year, we had about 50 games, and we would like to do the same.
"So it's going to be difficult, but at the same time, we've learned a lot. Last year, we are in these 50 games that we played, so we can manage the players a little bit better [from experience]…To have the freshness until the end."
One assessment that gained traction last season was that the Crew were simply tired from reaching finals in three competitions – and the grind of an MLS season on top of that – and that's what ultimately led to their early exit from the playoffs. Nancy refused to use that as an excuse but did suggest mentally it was a challenge for his side.
"It was not physical," he insisted. "The data showed that we didn't run less, but mentally, it was new for everyone…We had the possibility, in the last game against the New York Red Bulls to score many goals, but we didn't do it. So, that's why the execution, maybe we struggled a bit with that, but it was more mentally that it was difficult."
WHAT NEXT FOR THE CREW?
The Crew's preseason is underway in Columbus before traveling for a nine-day training camp in Chula Vista, Calif. on Jan. 15.
