Hearts appoint Wouter Vrancken as new head coach after McInnes exit
Vrancken signs a two-year deal with Hearts after transforming Sint-Truiden, as the club prepares for Champions League qualifiers.
Heart of Midlothian have confirmed the appointment of Wouter Vrancken as their new head coach, following the departure of Derek McInnes to Rangers earlier this month.
The 47-year-old Belgian has signed a two-year deal at Tynecastle and arrives after having led Sint-Truiden to a third-place finish in the Belgian Pro League, securing a Europa League play-off spot after transforming the club’s fortunes within a single season.
A former midfielder with clubs including Sint-Truiden, Genk and Gent, Vrancken began his coaching career in Belgium’s lower leagues before moving into an assistant role at Kortrijk. His first senior managerial appointment came at Mechelen in 2018, where he achieved immediate success by winning the second-tier title and guiding the club to Belgian Cup victory, making them only the second team outside the top flight to win the competition.
He went on to establish Mechelen as a consistent top-eight side before taking over at Genk. During his time there, Vrancken led the club to European qualification and was named Belgian Manager of the Year after finishing as league runners-up. A further top-six finish followed before a move to Gent in 2024.
Vrancken returned to Sint-Truiden for the 2025–26 season, where his attacking style drew praise as the team climbed from relegation candidates to their highest league finish in six decades, earning a place in European competition for the first time since 2003.
Hearts moved to secure Vrancken’s services after McInnes left for Ibrox, with the club preparing for upcoming Champions League qualifiers against Sturm Graz and the new domestic campaign.