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A 4-0 hammering at the hands of Sturm Graz in Wouter Vrancken's very first match in charge has ended Hearts' Champions League qualification hopes before they barely began, the result landing at the tail end of the most painful summer in recent memory at Tynecastle.
Shankland Departure Compounds Hearts Crisis
The damage started on 16 May, just days after a 3-1 loss to Celtic that cost Hearts what would have been their first league title in 60 years. Captain and top scorer Lawrence Shankland left first — and for nothing, a clause in his three-year deal allowing him to walk to Rangers without a transfer fee. Head coach Derek McInnes followed him to Ibrox. Then came the cruellest blow: Cammy Devlin, widely reported to be close to signing a new contract, instead turned up grinning in a Rangers shirt. Three pillars of the previous campaign, gone to the same club in a single summer.
Vrancken Brings Proven Continental Experience
Vrancken arrived from the continent with a strong CV — Belgian coach of the year, took Racing Genk to within minutes of a title, linked with Anderlecht and Burnley. At an early supporter forum he spoke of wanting chaos within a structure. Against Sturm Graz it was chaos without the structure. Pierre Landry Kabore shot straight at the keeper when he should have scored; Alexandros Kyziridis went wide one-on-one. By the time Hearts created those chances in the first half, the defensive damage was already being done. Four goals conceded, none scored, and the tie is over.
Patience Urged Despite Difficult Start
Hearts Standard editor Joel Sked, speaking on a Scottish Football Podcast, called Vrancken a really good head coach while stressing that patience will be required given everything the club has been through. That patience will be tested early. Keep across the latest football news as Vrancken begins rebuilding in earnest.