The Belgian coach is tasked with taking the club forward
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Wouter Vrancken signed his Hearts contract today before being officially confirmed as the clubâs new head coach. The start of a new era at Tynecastle Park is now underway after the 47-year-old Belgian agreed a long-term deal to succeed Derek McInnes. Fellow Belgian coaches Tim Smolders and Cederique Tulleners are joining him in Edinburgh to work as his assistants.
McInnesâ departure for Rangers earlier this month left Hearts officials seeking a new manager before players report to Riccarton for the start of pre-season preparations. Sporting director Graeme Jones and club chairman Calum Paterson conducted interviews last week. They held talks with Vrancken, his fellow Belgian Maarten Martens and the Dutch coach RenĂ© Hake. Vranckenâs experience and success in overachieving with previous clubs made him the preferred candidate.
He built a strong reputation in Belgium as a coach whose teams play with fight, energy and aggression. They press opponents high and use width combined with a high-tempo passing style. Vrancken won the Belgian Cup with second-division Mechelen in 2019 and then guided Genk to a runners-up place in the top flight in 2023 - missing out on the title in the dying seconds against Royal Antwerp.
He enjoyed a historic season with hometown club Sint-Truiden last year as they finished third in the Jupiler Pro League, which is their highest league finish for 60 years. They reached the Europa League qualifying rounds and was named Coach of the Year. After interest from Anderlecht, English side Burnley and Lorient in France, plus the Bulgarian club Ludogorets, he is now set for the next chapter of his career in Scotland.
Hearts have signed seven new players already this summer, the latest two confirmed on Wednesday as the club completed a French double. Forward Sabri Guendouz arrived in an ÂŁ850,000 transfer from the Belgian second-division side Beerschot. He was followed by midfielder Tom Renaud, who moves to Edinburgh as a free agent after his contract expired at the French third division club FC Versailles.
They join five other new signings - Scottish wingers Josh McPake and Calvin Miller, English defenders MJ Kamson-Kamara and Malacho-Fagan Walcott, plus French forward Amadou Ba-Sy. Those are unlikely to be the last new Hearts recruits before the summer transfer window closes.
McPakeâs move was finalised this morning after he signed a pre-contract agreement earlier this year. He scored 19 goals and claimed four assists in 41 games for St Johnstone last season, attracting the attention of Heartsâ recruitment partner, Jamestown Analytics. He is now starting the next chapter of his career in Gorgie after signing a three-year deal.
âI feel pretty good. I knew I was coming here for quite a while now, but to finally get in here is brilliant,â he told Hearts TV. âIt's been ups and downs, but listen I wouldn't change it for the world because I'm standing here today as a Hearts player. I think football moves on fast so this is my next challenge and I'm really looking forward to it.
âJust being at a club like Hearts, the fans, playing in the stadium week in week out and just kind of enjoying it. Getting back to enjoying my football like I have done the previous season and, hopefully, I do well. Iâm pretty excited, I'll come back as fit as I can and ready to go.â
Sign up to our Hearts newsletter
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Thank you for signing up!
Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.
Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later.
Submitting...
Wouter Vrancken signed his Hearts contract today before being officially confirmed as the clubâs new head coach. The start of a new era at Tynecastle Park is now underway after the 47-year-old Belgian agreed a long-term deal to succeed Derek McInnes. Fellow Belgian coaches Tim Smolders and Cederique Tulleners are joining him in Edinburgh to work as his assistants.
McInnesâ departure for Rangers earlier this month left Hearts officials seeking a new manager before players report to Riccarton for the start of pre-season preparations. Sporting director Graeme Jones and club chairman Calum Paterson conducted interviews last week. They held talks with Vrancken, his fellow Belgian Maarten Martens and the Dutch coach RenĂ© Hake. Vranckenâs experience and success in overachieving with previous clubs made him the preferred candidate.
He built a strong reputation in Belgium as a coach whose teams play with fight, energy and aggression. They press opponents high and use width combined with a high-tempo passing style. Vrancken won the Belgian Cup with second-division Mechelen in 2019 and then guided Genk to a runners-up place in the top flight in 2023 - missing out on the title in the dying seconds against Royal Antwerp.
He enjoyed a historic season with hometown club Sint-Truiden last year as they finished third in the Jupiler Pro League, which is their highest league finish for 60 years. They reached the Europa League qualifying rounds and was named Coach of the Year. After interest from Anderlecht, English side Burnley and Lorient in France, plus the Bulgarian club Ludogorets, he is now set for the next chapter of his career in Scotland.
Hearts have signed seven new players already this summer, the latest two confirmed on Wednesday as the club completed a French double. Forward Sabri Guendouz arrived in an ÂŁ850,000 transfer from the Belgian second-division side Beerschot. He was followed by midfielder Tom Renaud, who moves to Edinburgh as a free agent after his contract expired at the French third division club FC Versailles.
They join five other new signings - Scottish wingers Josh McPake and Calvin Miller, English defenders MJ Kamson-Kamara and Malacho-Fagan Walcott, plus French forward Amadou Ba-Sy. Those are unlikely to be the last new Hearts recruits before the summer transfer window closes.
McPakeâs move was finalised this morning after he signed a pre-contract agreement earlier this year. He scored 19 goals and claimed four assists in 41 games for St Johnstone last season, attracting the attention of Heartsâ recruitment partner, Jamestown Analytics. He is now starting the next chapter of his career in Gorgie after signing a three-year deal.
âI feel pretty good. I knew I was coming here for quite a while now, but to finally get in here is brilliant,â he told Hearts TV. âIt's been ups and downs, but listen I wouldn't change it for the world because I'm standing here today as a Hearts player. I think football moves on fast so this is my next challenge and I'm really looking forward to it.
âJust being at a club like Hearts, the fans, playing in the stadium week in week out and just kind of enjoying it. Getting back to enjoying my football like I have done the previous season and, hopefully, I do well. Iâm pretty excited, I'll come back as fit as I can and ready to go.â
