Van Der Haegen: Belgian clubs imitate German coaching revolution

In the Jupiler Pro League a striking trend is emerging: four of the six coaches of the top‑six clubs have never played at professional level. UEFA official Kris Van Der Haegen points, with reference to Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann, to the positive side of this development.

Belgian top clubs choose inexperienced coaches

According to Van Der Haegen, the fact that four of the six coaches in the top six of the Jupiler Pro League have no professional playing background is a sign of progress. He emphasizes that Belgian clubs now look differently at the qualities a coach should possess.

The four coaches are Rik De Mil at KAA Gent, Mario Kohnen at Sporting Charleroi, Vitor Bruno at RSC Anderlecht and Michael Beale at Zulte Waregem. None of them has a background as a professional footballer, which makes their appointment all the more remarkable.

German examples and changing mentality

Van Der Haegen compares the Belgian situation with Germany, where Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann previously broke through without a major playing career. He says: “Football is very conservative. People think: ‘He has been a good player, so he will also be a good coach’”, according to the interview.

He also quotes Arrigo Sacchi: “I didn’t know you first had to be a horse before you can become a rider.” Van Der Haegen now sees a shift in mentality: the old coach carousel is disappearing and clubs are investing more in identifying and training coaches, for example Rik De Mil who developed in the academy of Club Brugge.

Seven to eight years ago he was asked why Germany could produce ‘laptop coaches’ like Tuchel and Nagelsmann and Belgium could not. He answers that those coaches were able to mature as professional coaches in the youth setup, away from the spotlights, and that Belgian clubs are now drawing the same lessons.

The pattern is also breaking in the Netherlands: Excelsior coach Ruben den Uil is a recent example of a coach who is at the top without an impressive playing career. His success underscores the growing acceptance of non‑player coaches in the Low Countries.