​Burnley have appointed Nicky Hayen, the Genk head coach, on a three-year contract to take over as the club’s new head coach. The 45-year-old Belgian steps into the role following the departure of Scott Parker, who left by mutual consent at the end of April as the Clarets were relegated from the Premier League. Hayen previously spent time with Welsh club Haverfordwest County between 2021 and 2022, and last season guided Genk to a seventh-placed finish in Belgium’s top flight.
“I’m pleased to be joining a club with real history and supporters who care deeply about it,” Hayen said on the club’s website. “I know most of them won’t know much about me yet, but that’s on me to change.”
Burnley had previously considered the Football Association of Wales’ head coach, Craig Bellamy, who had been on Vincent Kompany’s staff, but talks collapsed during negotiations over the structure of the backroom team. It is also understood that former Wolves boss Rob Edwards turned down Burnley’s approach to replace Parker.
Hayen will join the squad on their pre-season tour in the United States, with his first competitive game in charge set for the Carabao Cup first-round clash against Notts County on Saturday, 8 August. The following weekend, Burnley will open their Championship campaign at home against fellow relegated side West Ham.
The club enjoyed six consecutive Premier League campaigns from 2016 to 2022, largely under Sean Dyche. However, since their relegation in 2021-22, Burnley have alternated between promotion and relegation from the top flight, first under Kompany and more recently under Parker.
“In Nicky we have a coach who builds teams with a clear identity and improves the players around him. That is the football we want at Turf Moor,” chairman Alan Pace said. “This is a considered appointment that fits how we intend to run the club. We have backed a clear footballing plan within a sustainable model, and Nicky has the support to deliver it. Our focus now is on a strong season and a return to the Premier League on solid foundations.”
Hayen’s coaching career has largely been spent in Belgium, with notable success at Club Brugge, whom he led to the Belgian league title in 2023-24 and who reached the knockout stages of the Champions League the following season before defeat to Aston Villa in the last 16. Brugge dismissed him in December after a defeat by Sint-Truiden, but he returned to management two weeks later at Genk.
Although not a familiar name in English football, Hayen will be aware that this is a significant opportunity to coach at this level in England. He has accumulated substantial first-team experience in Belgium, giving him a sense of the footballing identity he hopes to stamp on Burnley. His prior spell in Wales with Haverfordwest County adds a note of experience in British football, which may aid his adaptation to the English game and Burnley’s ambitions in the Championship.