Hearts are on the verge of appointing former Sint-Truiden manager Wouter Vrancken, and his former boss Jacky Mathijssen believes it could be a perfect match. Mathijssen, who coached Vrancken at Sint-Truiden in the early 2000s, describes the 47-year-old's style as 'organised chaos'—a stark contrast to Vrancken's own playing days as a disciplined midfield general.
A Coach with Immediate Impact
Mathijssen, a well-travelled manager who has led Club Brugge, Lokeren, and AEL Larissa, among others, is confident Vrancken will make an instant impression at Tynecastle. 'He is a very special coach with a direct impact,' Mathijssen said. 'I don't know any coach whose impact on the game and results is as quick as his. It's an enormous quality. He calls it himself 'organised chaos football'. So it will be great to watch. Attacking. Exciting.'
First-Season Successes
Vrancken has a track record of delivering in his debut seasons. In his sole campaign at Sint-Truiden (2025-26), he led the club to a third-place finish—their best since 1966—earning praise from CEO Takayuki Tateishi, who called him one of the club's greatest ever managers. At Genk in 2022-23, he came within two minutes of winning the title, only for Toby Alderweireld's 94th-minute equaliser to hand the crown to Royal Antwerp. His most notable achievement came at KV Mechelen in 2018-19, where he won the second division title and the Belgian Cup, beating Gent in the final.
From Midfielder to Manager
Mathijssen first worked with Vrancken 25 years ago when he took over at Sint-Truiden in 2001. 'Wouter was a defensive midfielder with natural leadership,' Mathijssen recalled. 'He was no Maradona, but a very useful player to bring balance. He had the right mentality—everything to become a coach. He stopped playing early due to medical problems and went into coaching without an official degree. I urged him to get his documents, and now he has had a wonderful career.'
Vrancken's teams reflect a philosophy opposite to his playing style. Where he was a destroyer, his teams are creators; where he was pragmatic, they are front-foot; and where he kept discipline, they embrace 'organised chaos'. Mathijssen believes this approach will excite Hearts fans. 'Most of the time his first year is very impressive. So I hope in three, four months you will see a different team. If the players are good enough to play a different football than you are used to, maybe this will be enough to challenge Celtic and Rangers.'
A Move Abroad
Vrancken is preparing for his first managerial role outside Belgium. Mathijssen, now director of youth development at Wydad in Casablanca, Morocco, is pleased to see him take the step. 'He stayed too long in Belgium. I'm very glad he took the challenge to work abroad, certainly in an English-speaking part. One of the reasons he is good is the direct approach with his players. This will be a good move for Wouter, and I think it should be good for Hearts too.'
