Burnley have appointed Nicky Hayen as their new head coach, with the Belgian manager set to join the squad on their pre-season tour in the United States.
Hayen arrives with a strong track record in Belgian football, having led Club Brugge to the Jupiler League title in 2023-24 and guided them into the Champions League knockout rounds the following season, where they were eliminated by Aston Villa in the last 16. Brugge sacked him in December after a defeat by Sint Truiden, but he returned to management two weeks later at Genk, where he finished seventh in the Belgian top flight last season. His only experience outside Belgium came during a spell with Welsh side Haverfordwest County between 2021 and 2022.
Chairman Alan Pace backed the decision, saying: “In Nicky we have a coach who builds teams with a clear identity and improves the players around him. That is the football we want at Turf Moor. This is a considered appointment that fits how we intend to run the club. We have backed a clear footballing plan within a sustainable model and Nicky has the support to deliver it.”
Hayen acknowledged he will be an unknown quantity to many supporters. “I know most of them won’t know much about me yet, that’s fair and it’s on me to change it,” he said.
His first competitive game in charge will be the Carabao Cup first round tie against Notts County on Saturday, 8 August, before Burnley host fellow relegated side West Ham in their Championship opener the following Sunday. The club spent six successive seasons in the Premier League between 2016 and 2022, largely under Sean Dyche, but have since alternated between promotion and relegation under Vincent Kompany and then Scott Parker. Pace made clear the ambition: “Our focus now is a strong season and a return to the Premier League on solid foundations.”
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
