Burnley fans will love how Nicky Hayen reacted when he first saw Turf Moor | OneFootball

Nicky Hayen has taken his first trip to Turf Moor since being appointed as Burnley manager

Burnley are back in the Championship after another 19th place finish in the Premier League.

The Clarets suffered relegation in their first year returning to the top flight after gaining promotion in 2025 under Scott Parker.

This is the second time in three seasons that the Lancashire outfit have been relegated from the first division.

Nicky Hayen has been appointed as the successor to Parker, who was dismissed after their relegation was confirmed in April.

The Championship side have had a quiet start to the transfer window so far, with their only major signing being confirmation of Florentino’s move on a permanent basis.

But the club still have until 1 September to complete any remaining business before the market shuts on 1 September.

Nicky Hayen reacts to seeing Turf Moor for the first time

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Hayen has shared his excitement with getting to experience Turf Moor for the first time, and that he is looking forward to seeing fans cheer on the team in just over a week.

Ahead of the new campaign, the Clarets will host Spanish side Espanyol on 29 July in a pre-season friendly, which will be his first time in the dugout since becoming their new head coach.

“A beautiful stadium,” said Hayen, via Burnley’s X account.

“Really, really nice having the fans close to the pitch, so really looking forward to seeing them for the first time next week.”

Hayen has previously spent his managerial career in Belgium, with one brief aside with Haverfordwest County in Wales, rising the ranks to work at the likes of Club Brugge and Genk, two of the biggest clubs in the country.

The 45-year-old has achieved success with Club Brugge, winning the Belgian Pro League in 2023/24, as well as the Belgian Cup a year later.

Burnley will host their first league game at home against fellow relegated side West Ham on 16 August, with both clubs targeting automatic promotion in the coming year.

How Burnley fans feel about Nicky Hayen’s appointment

Burnley fans welcomed Hayen’s appointment as manager, although there have been some reservations shared regarding a lack of what to expect from him.

Comparisons have been made to Vincent Kompany, who also made the move from Belgian football to Turf Moor back in 2023 and led the club to promotion success.

The 45-year-old has received praise for earning his stripes, having worked his way up the ladder of Belgian football to work with big clubs.

And some relief was also expressed at his arrival, as he was a preferred candidate among supporters compared to the likes of Craig Bellamy and Steven Gerrard.

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Nicky Hayen has to hit the ground running at Burnley

Hayen has worked at some small clubs in his managerial career so far, so the jump to a team like Burnley will mean a lot to him.

Turf Moor can hold almost 22,000 supporters, and the stands are tightly-packed on top of the pitch, which helps generate an impressive atmosphere on their best days.

But it also means that Hayen will be able to feel their frustrations loud and clear if things don’t go smoothly, particularly at the start of the season.