Hearts have officially appointed Belgian manager Wouter Vrancken as Derek McInnes' successor at Tynecastle, signing a two-year contract. The 47-year-old arrives after an impressive stint at Sint Truiden, where he led the club to a third-place finish in the Belgian Pro League last season and earned the Manager of the Year award.
Coaching Staff Announced
Vrancken will be joined by assistants Tim Smolders and Cederique Tulleners, who are expected to be confirmed as part of the new-look coaching team. Current goalkeeping coach Gordon Marshall will also remain in his role. The announcement comes as Hearts players reported back for the first day of pre-season training.
Champions League Challenge Ahead
Preparations are already underway for next month's crucial Champions League qualifier against Sturm Graz. Vrancken has less than four weeks to prepare his squad for the first leg in Austria. The club's chiefs conducted a week of interviews, also considering former Feyenoord assistant Rene Hake and ex-AZ Alkmaar boss Maarten Martens before settling on Vrancken.
