Hearts have identified Belgian coach Wouter Vrancken as their top choice to become the new manager at Tynecastle, replacing Derek McInnes. After a week of interviews with several candidates, the Jambos are expected to announce his appointment in the coming days, pending finalisation of terms.
Who is Wouter Vrancken?
Vrancken, 47, was born in Sint-Truiden, Belgium. A former defensive midfielder, he made over 170 appearances for his hometown club, scoring 14 goals. He also earned 17 caps for Belgium Under-21s and played for Gent, Genk, Mechelen, and Kortrijk before retiring in 2010.
After football, he worked in a bank, for an insurance company, and even coached people for Nespresso. His managerial career began part-time with RDK Gravelo, then Overpelt, KVV, and Lommel. He admitted he almost quit football due to what he called rampant 'every man for himself' attitudes and too much 'hypocrisy.'
Coaching Career Highlights
Vrancken's managerial path mirrored his playing career in reverse. He became assistant at Kortrijk before winning the Belgian Cup with Mechelen. He then managed Gent, followed by Genk, where he won Coach of the Year in 2022. Last summer, he returned to Sint-Truiden, his formative club.
In his first season back, he guided Sint-Truiden to third place in the Belgian Pro League regular season, only three points behind leaders Union Saint-Gilloise. Though Club Brugge eventually won the title, Vrancken's side secured Europa League qualification. He was again named Manager of the Year.
Why He Left Sint-Truiden
Vrancken informed Sint-Truiden after just one year that he was keen for a new challenge, specifically overseas. Werder Bremen, Lorient, and Burnley were all linked, but he will now lead Hearts into next month's Champions League qualifiers.
Playing Style and Tactics
His playing style has been described as 'organised chaos,' with a preferred attacking approach. He demands 11 'warriors' on the pitch and typically deploys a 4-2-3-1 formation.
