Wouter Vrancken has revealed that his friend Vincent Kompany played a key role in his decision to become the new manager of Hearts. However, the Belgian insists he will not be turning to the Bayern Munich boss for advice as he sets out his plan to challenge the Old Firm next season.
Vrancken's Own Blueprint for Success
Vrancken has his own blueprint for making Hearts successful. After meeting with Jambos chief Graeme Jones earlier this month, he knew instantly that Tynecastle was the right step for his first managerial job outside his homeland. The former Sint Truiden, Gent, Genk and Mechelen boss has stated his aim is to help Hearts continue to overachieve, having come within minutes of winning the title last season.
The 47-year-old was identified after scoring highly in the club's Jamestown Analytics recruitment tool. As he conducted his own due diligence on the club, Vrancken said advice from former Manchester City star Kompany was foremost in his mind.
Kompany's Advice on Going Abroad
Asked what appealed about Hearts, Vrancken said: 'I'm good friends with Vincent Kompany and he told me that when you go abroad, the first thing you have to look at is the people. If you have a good feeling with the people, those are the people you have to work with. I think that was very important. I immediately had a good connection with Graeme and the way he sees things.'
He added: 'I also liked the way I came in because it was objective (with Jamestown). It wasn't only about relationships or who knows who; it was also about the model. It means that what you did in the past was good, and that gives you confidence to start.'
No Reliance on Kompany for Advice
When asked if he would lean on Kompany for advice, Vrancken replied: 'No, no.. he's too busy with Bayern, I think! Just as a friend. But just doing my own thing because what we want to see is different. You build up your own ideas over time, you create things, and it's evolving all the time.'
Vrancken, who played as a midfielder for the same four clubs he managed before heading to Scotland, says his friendship with Kompany grew out of a rivalry on and off the pitch. Two decades ago, they went head to head in the Jupiler League when Kompany was breaking through at Anderlecht and Vrancken was anchoring the Gent midfield. Later, they were dugout rivals when Kompany returned to manage his first club.
Shared Love of Attacking Football
Vrancken says their bond was forged over a shared love of attacking football. He said: 'We played against each other and worked against each other as coaches. It was when I was at Mechelen in the first years. We started indirectly, then we played each other, and because of the kind of football we both play, we started connecting. Then we kept in contact. I spent three days with him in Burnley and in Munich, and we've stayed in touch since.'
Tynecastle sporting director Jones says Vrancken was the number one candidate for the job after holding talks in London last week. For the Belgian, those conversations were about satisfying his need to know about the behind-the-scenes workings of the club.
Focus on Champions League Qualifier
Now it's about getting his own ideas over to the playing staff with less than four weeks until the Champions League qualifier against Sturm Graz. He said: 'I wanted to hear how everything works day to day, the workflow, because those are the things you don't see. You can watch games and get a feel for the atmosphere in the stadium and the fans. You can do that research yourself. But I wanted to know about the workflow at the training centre and the training ground.'
'Of course, he also explained the model a little bit, how everything works and the people around it. Like I said, the first thing for me was to get a feeling for the people. I have to say it's been really nice over these first few days. I'm looking forward to what's next.'
