{"id":235880,"date":"2025-10-31T12:25:18","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T12:25:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/235880\/"},"modified":"2025-10-31T12:25:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T12:25:18","slug":"club-brugge-boss-nicky-hayen-responds-to-celtic-speculation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/235880\/","title":{"rendered":"Club Brugge boss Nicky Hayen responds to Celtic speculation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\t\tClub Brugge boss Nicky Hayen was put on the spot regarding speculation linking him to the vacant Celtic managerial position\u2026<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/celtic-fc-v-club-brugge-kv-uefa-champions-league-2024-25-league-phase-md5-16.jpg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload wp-image-153049 has-webp size-full\" alt=\"Nicky Hayen and Brendan Rodgers\"  data- style=\"aspect-ratio:3265\/2410;max-width:1536px\"\/>Brendan Rodgers, Manager of Celtic greets Nicky Hayen, Head Coach of Club Brugge KV, ahead of the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and Club Brugge KV at Celtic Park on November 27, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>However, the Club Brugge manager stayed tight-lipped, deflecting the question after his side\u2019s 6-1 victory over Eendracht Aalst Lede in the Belgian Cup. The 45-year-old appears to be on the radar of Celtic\u2019s hierarchy, who are looking to appoint a new permanent manager following <a href=\"https:\/\/thecelticstar.com\/rodgers-didnt-torch-the-place-he-just-refused-to-pretend-it-wasnt-already-burning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Brendan Rodgers\u2019 shock \u2018resignation\u2019<\/a> on Monday evening.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thecelticstar.com\/celtic-4-0-falkirk-it-was-the-most-surreal-feeling-in-the-world-martin-oneill\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Martin O\u2019Neill<\/a> and Shaun Maloney are temporarily in charge and helped stabilize the Hoops on Wednesday night, leading the Scottish champions to a 4-0 home victory over Falkirk.<\/p>\n<p>How long the duo will continue overseeing first-team matters is still uncertain, and Hayen may well be watching developments in Glasgow closely.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/imago1054278783.jpg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload wp-image-152911 has-webp size-full\" alt=\"Nicky Hayen, Brugge manager\"  data- style=\"aspect-ratio:5096\/3398;max-width:1536px\"\/>Celtic v Club Brugge \u2013 UEFA Champions League Nicky Hayen, head coach of Club Brugge pictured during a training session ahead of the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic and Club Brugge on November 26, 2024. Photo Peter De Voecht<\/p>\n<p>Speaking via <a href=\"https:\/\/sporza.be\/nl\/2025\/10\/29\/nicky-hayen-reageert-op-interesse-van-celtic-zeg-nooit-nooit-in-het-voetbal-maar-ik-ben-hier-gelukkig~1761774359236\/?ref=ed_direct\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Belgian outlet Sporza<\/a>, Hayen said: \u201cI\u2019ve said before that I know I\u2019m on lists, although I don\u2019t know which ones. As long as nothing is concrete, I don\u2019t need to know about it. I\u2019m happy here and I want to work hard to win my 20th national title. That\u2019s still my goal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNever say never in football, but I\u2019m happy here. As long as you have mutual trust between the club and me, there\u2019s nothing wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hayen extended his contract with Club Brugge over the summer, committing to the club until 2028. Should Celtic pursue him, they would be required to provide Club Brugge with a substantial compensation package.<\/p>\n<p>Brugge currently sit second in the Belgian Pro League after 12 games, three points behind reigning champions Union St.Gilloise.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/imago1054277956.jpg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload wp-image-152912 has-webp size-full\" alt=\"Nicky Hayen, Brugge manager\"  data- style=\"aspect-ratio:4967\/3312;max-width:1536px\"\/>Nicky Hayen, head coach of Club Brugge arrives at the press during a press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz ahead of the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic and Club Brugge on November 26, 2024. Photo: Peter De Voecht<\/p>\n<p>Hayen\u2019s side are also competing in the Champions League after humiliating the latest Ibrox club 9-1 on aggregate over two games during qualifying in August.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>The Belgian\u2019s have accumulated three points from three games so far in Europe\u2019s elite club competition, beating Monaco 4-0 whilst also suffering defeats to Atalanta and Bayern Munich. They face Barcelona next week.<\/p>\n<p>Conor Spence<\/p>\n<p>Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter, signed copies by Danny McGrain available from <a href=\"https:\/\/celticstarbooks.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">celticstarbooks.com\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t miss the chance to purchase the late, great Celtic historian David Potter\u2019s final book. All remaining copies have been signed by the legendary Celtic captain \u00a0Danny McGrain PLUS you\u2019ll also receive a FREE copy of David Potter\u2019s Willie Fernie biography \u2013 Putting on the Style, and you\u2019ll only be charged for postage on one book. \u00a0Order from Celtic Star Books <a href=\"https:\/\/celticstarbooks.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/celticstarbooks.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_9129.jpeg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload wp-image-172373 has-webp size-full\" alt=\"Celtic in the Eighties and Willie Fernie - Putting on the Style both by David Potter \"  data- style=\"aspect-ratio:1280\/807;max-width:1280px\"\/><\/a>Celtic in the Eighties and Willie Fernie \u2013 Putting on the Style both by David Potter. Photo The Celtic Star<a href=\"https:\/\/celticstarbooks.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Unknown.jpeg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload wp-image-171025 has-webp size-full\" alt=\"Danny McGrain signing copies of Celtic in the Eighties\"  data- style=\"aspect-ratio:880\/601;max-width:880px\"\/><\/a>Danny McGrain signing copies of Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Photo: Celtic Star Books&#13;<\/p>\n<p>\t\tMore Stories \/ Latest News<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/thecelticstar.com\/keane-and-mckennas-first-public-comments-since-being-linked-with-celtic\/\" title=\"Keane and McKenna\u2019s first public comments since being linked with Celtic\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/middlesbrough-v-ipswich-town-sky-bet-championship.jpg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload wp-image-174169 has-webp lazyload\" alt=\"Kieran McKenna, Manager of Ipswich Town\"  data-\/>\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/thecelticstar.com\/uefa-confirm-feyenoord-section-in-de-kuip-to-be-closed-against-celtic\/\" title=\"UEFA confirm Feyenoord section in De Kuip to be closed against Celtic\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/feyenoord-v-aston-villa-fc-uefa-europa-league-2025-26-league-phase-md2.jpeg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload wp-image-174437 has-webp lazyload\" alt=\"De Kuip\"  data-\/>\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/thecelticstar.com\/maik-nawrocki-finally-hits-the-ground-running-at-hannover-96\/\" title=\"Maik Nawrocki finally hits the ground running at Hannover 96\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/FF-04-07-25-HD.jpg\" class=\"lazyload lazyload wp-image-167300 has-webp lazyload\" alt=\"Maik Nawrocki tr\u00e4gt ab sofort das 96-Trikot. (Foto: 96\/Redaktion)\"  data-\/>\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t&#13;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Club Brugge boss Nicky Hayen was put on the spot regarding speculation linking him to the vacant Celtic&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":235881,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[218,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-235880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-football","tag-football","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/235880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=235880"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/235880\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/235881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=235880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=235880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=235880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}