By examining what is happening in Major League Soccer (MLS), Wilfried Nancy comes to an observation that is difficult to ignore: he is the only black head coach on the circuit.
For Nancy, who manages the Columbus Crew, this reality means her job is about more than just winning and taking home trophies. It’s also about setting an example and remaining true to your values.
In her first season at the helm of the Crew last year, Nancy led her team to the MLS Cup. The 47-year-old Frenchman is the first black person to lift it as head coach. And on Saturday, the Crew will fight for another trophy in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final against Pachuca, Mexico.
“My definition of success is, who do you want to become as a person, not as a player or a professional, but as a person? he said. This is why the word fulfillment is a key word for me, because it means that I am in line with my values, with my actions, and that is the most important thing for me.
“Thanks to this, I am at peace with what I do every day. »
The Crew’s run in the Champions Cup so far has been impressive. He defeated the Tigres on penalties in the quarter-final, then defeated Monterrey 3-1 on home soil to win 5-2 on aggregate. Pachuca joined him in the final by winning 3-2 against Club America.
In addition to the trophy, the team that has the upper hand on Saturday will earn a place in the Club World Cup, which will pit 32 teams against each other during the next edition, next year in the United States.
Nancy said that since arriving in Columbus, “the idea is to always focus on the next game, because every game is a new chapter, a new story.”
Born in Le Havre, Nancy played as a defender in different French leagues before becoming a coach. He coached at the Montreal Impact Academy before being promoted to assistant coach of the first team in 2016.
After the resignation of Thierry Henry, Nancy was named head coach of CF Montreal. He set a team record with 20 wins – 11 of them on the road – in 2022 before jumping ship to lead the Crew.
Columbus (6-2-6) has won its last three games and is in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
“He does a great job of understanding everyone individually, what everyone can bring to the team, not forgetting that they are human as well and trying to connect with them that way,” said the midfielder. of the Crew Darlington Nagbe.
Nancy said MLS is no exception when it comes to the lack of diversity among its head coaches. There were only two in the Premier League this season and only 11 in the history of the English circuit.
There are also no black coaches in the best leagues in Spain and Germany.
Nancy said he is working with MLS to address the issue of representation. In December 2021, the league updated its hiring policy to require “more serious consideration” of Black applicants.
The third-tier MLS Next Pro league has ten Black head coaches this season – an opportunity that could lead to jobs in MLS.
“When you look at a team in general, in MLS or anywhere in the world, there are a lot of black players. Where are they next, when they want to become coaches? For me, I don’t have the answer, he said. Because I try, at my level, to educate people, to inspire if I can. »
Nancy is well aware that sport can be a vector of change. He recounted a recent meeting during which a man thanked him for bringing his family together around the Crew. A moment that reminded him of the importance of his position.
“It’s a passion of mine, and it goes beyond winning, because we all want to win. It’s your job, you want to win because you have a competitive spirit. [Mais] What can I do to change everyone’s mentality a little with what I’m doing? »