Nicky Hayen (Image: Getty)
Nicky Hayen will lead out on one of their biggest nights in their history when they take on on Tuesday night, as they aim to qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time. It wasn’t long ago that the Belgian was leading a small Welsh outfit out in front of 273 spectators with Haverfordwest. His rapid rise from the depths of semi-professional Welsh football to Europe’s premier club competition is no fluke, though, with his backers predicting a bright future for the 44-year-old. Of course, Hayen has some strange quirks like any manager.
He recently revealed that talks to his dead mother, who passed away back in 2021, before matches as a pre-match ritual. And few could argue against its effectiveness after knocking the much-fancied Atalanta out of the competition with a 5-2 aggregate win in the play-offs. “Before the match I always talk to my mother, who passed away four years ago. It was much too early,” Hayen said. “Last year before the [Belgian league] playoffs I told her we wanted to do something crazy, and in the end winning the title was the result. Am I deeply religious? No, but I do feel that it is something for me. I must believe there is something.”
Welsh minnows Haverfordwest played Swansea City in a pre-season friendly (Image: Getty)
Despite his unconventional methods, Hayen has taken the scenic route to the top level of management. A former defender with more than 400 games of experience playing in Belgium and the Netherlands, he found his home in Wales after taking on coaching, technical director and caretaker manager roles in Belgium and Saudi Arabia. His first big break with Waasland-Beveren saw them relegated to the second tier in Belgium.
After dropping down to the humble surroundings of west Wales, Hayen continued working as he would at any professional institution – putting in 15-hour days to bring Haverfordwest up to the standard he knew they could be. Hayen’s thirst and obsession for football took Haverfordwest to new heights, transforming them from relegation flirters to European play-off contenders.
“The guy was a workaholic,” chairman Rob Edwards said. “I would wake up at 8am and he’d be dressed, watching clips of opposition, doing analysis. I’d go to bed at 11pm and he’d be up, watching clips and doing analysis. He managed to get a really amazing standard out of players we probably didn’t realise had it in them.
“Your support last Friday was outstanding, and I hope you can all come to the stadium for Saturday’s cup final.”A message from First Team Manager, Nicky Hayen, ahead of Saturday’s season finale against at the Bridge Meadow.
— Haverfordwest County AFC ????????????(@HaverfordwestFC)
“For me, it was a massive learning curve working with someone at that level, but he was very calm. He wasn’t a shouter in the dressing room – he spoke and you listened. Despite not being the loudest, most aggressive, he had an aura – you just wanted to listen to him.”
Such progress saw other clubs take notice, with Brugge launching an approach for his services to take over their Under-23 team in 2022. Given the prospects of making it in his native country, he couldn’t turn down such an opportunity.
And it would prove to be a huge test for Hayen when he stepped in as first-team assistant, before getting the chance to prove himself as interim boss when Ronny Deila left in March 2024.
Club Brugge boss Nicky Hayen prepares for their Champions League tie vs Aston Villa (Image: Getty)
Brugge are currently second in the Jupiler Pro League, nine points adrift of Genk, but their progress in Europe is an exhibition of Hayen’s work – having held Juventus to a draw in Turin.
Now Aston Villa and Unai Emery look to test Brugge’s wits and talents for a second time this season – having already lost 1-0 to the Belgians in November – and they may be in for a nasty shock in Brussels in the first leg tonight.