Racing Genk's dismissal adds to Jupiler Pro League's coach‑graveyard

While Belgium's Jupiler Pro League has long been criticised for its lack of coaching stability, the past nine days have turned that criticism into reality, with six managers losing their jobs, including Racing Genk’s Jess Thorup after just eleven matches.

Rising dismissal numbers

The Jupiler Pro League already had a poor reputation for the durability of the coaching role. The past week reinforced that reputation.

Recent hours provided fresh proof of the league’s instability. In the 2023‑2024 season, fifteen coaches were dismissed. In the 2024‑2025 season, twenty coaches lost their jobs. In the 2025‑2026 season, twenty‑four coaches have been sacked.

The competition has become a coach graveyard, with the dismissal curve climbing sharply in recent years. This campaign is also on track to uphold that grim reputation.

Club‑by‑club fallout

On Tuesday, Racing Genk dismissed Danish coach Jess Thorup after eleven matchdays. Thorup became the fifth coach to depart this season in the league.

November has proved a particularly brutal month for coaching changes.

The first unlucky appointment was Michiel Jonckheere at Kortrijk, who began the campaign with zero points after eighteen games. After matchday six and a three‑zero loss to La Louvière, Jonckheere sensed the atmosphere turning sour. He later described the situation as the biggest disappointment of his career. A day later the club removed him from his post.

Assistant Christophe Lepoint temporarily took charge. Austrian Daniel Beichler was then installed as the new head coach.

Sint‑Truidense, after a historic third‑place finish and a European berth, saw coach Wouter Vrancken leave during the summer exodus, casting doubt on the club’s future. Frédéric De Meyer began his first senior head‑coach assignment at Stayen, but after zero points from fifteen matches and a fifteenth‑place finish, he was dismissed. Jonas De Roeck was later appointed as his successor.

Cercle Brugge fought to survive in the play‑downs during the 2025‑2026 season, hiring Danish coach Lars Friis just before the relegation play‑off. The Danish magic failed this season, and the side had to wait until All Saints’ Day for its first league victory. Following that win, the board sacked Friis. Portuguese Pedro Caixinha was already prepared to take over.

La Louvière recruited Edward Still last summer, a coach familiar with the Jupiler Pro League. Despite his experience, Still could not turn the club’s fortunes around, and they quickly slipped into trouble. When relegation rivals Cercle Brugge also won in the “Wolves” arena, the board decided enough was enough. Chairman Salvatore Curaba announced Still’s dismissal after the match. Still never managed to get La Louvière performing.

On 10 November 2026, Racing Genk dismissed Jess Thorup a second time, a decisive move. Thorup had previously worked at Genk in 2020 before being poached by FC Copenhagen, returning with the aim of erasing a poor 2025‑2026 season. Heavy summer investment could not revive Genk’s form, and after accumulating fifteen points from eleven games, Thorup was relieved of his duties.

On 11 November, rumours surfaced that Michael Beale had left Zulte Waregem after zero points from eighteen matches, though the club had not yet confirmed it. Hours later, SK Beveren announced the departure of Dutch coach Tim Bakens and his assistant Dennis te Braak. Bakens had been appointed last summer after guiding Beveren to an unbeaten title in the Challenger Pro League. The club’s provisional fifteenth‑place standing in the top division was now deemed too volatile.

Broader fallout and statements

Sporting director Bob Peeters explained that the season had seen the team drift away from the core principles of their football identity.