Burnley moves on from Bellamy to appoint new coach
Nicky Hayen has been announced as Burnley's new head coach after penning a three-year deal with the Clarets, as the pursuit of Craig Bellamy finally ends.
Hayen, who arrives from Belgian Pro League side Genk, replaces Scott Parker after he left the Clarets by mutual consent in April.
Michael Jackson took interim charge of the Clarets, but their Premier League relegation had already been confirmed by that point and they ultimately finished 19th on the table.
Burnley failed to win any of its last 15 Premier League home games in 2025-2026, losing nine of them, with only three teams enduring longer runs within a single season in the competition.
After Parker's departure, Burnley approached the Football Association of Wales as it looked to appoint Bellamy as its head coach.
Bellamy was part of Vincent Kompany's backroom staff during his time at Burnley, but negotiations broke down and the club switched focus to Hayen.
The 45-year-old was appointed as Genk's head coach last December and led the club to a seventh-place finish in the Belgian top flight.
"I'm pleased to be joining a club with real history and supporters who care deeply about it," Hayen said.
"I know most of them won't know much about me yet, that's fair, and it's on me to change it.
"What I can tell them is how my teams play. We keep the ball, we press with purpose, and we trust young players with real minutes, not just a place on the bench.
"I'm really looking forward to working with the squad in the US on the pre-season tour. The hard work starts there."
Hayen arrives having overseen 127 Belgian Pro League matches with three different clubs, with his most successful tenure coming with Club Brugge between 2024 and 2025.
During his time in charge, he won 41 of his 67 league games in charge (D15 L11), winning the Belgian Pro League title as well as the Belgian Cup and Belgian Super Cup.
He takes over a Burnley side that struggled in 2025-2026. It conceded the most goals (75) in the Premier League last season, while only fellow relegated side Wolverhampton Wanderers (27) scored fewer than the Clarets' 38.
Hayen's first game in charge will see Burnley square off against EFL League One side Notts County in the Carabao Cup, before it begins its Championship campaign against West Ham Unitedat Turf Moor on 17 August (AEST).
