Nicky Hayen was dismissed as Burnley’s head coach after just 14 matches in charge, following a 4‑1 home loss to Lincoln City that left the club in 22nd place in the Championship. The Belgian manager, who had taken over on 10 July after Scott Parker departed at the end of April, was relieved of his duties within two hours of the defeat at the ProAmpac Stadium.
Hayen’s tenure began with a promising 1‑1 draw against West Ham on the opening day of the campaign, but the Clarets’ form quickly deteriorated. They have gone winless in league fixtures at Turf Moor since the final Premier League match against Leeds United more than a year ago. A 4‑0 victory over Watford after the international break was the only bright spot, but a subsequent draw with Charlton and a loss to Wolves saw the team’s fortunes slip further.
The 4‑1 loss to Lincoln City, which saw the hosts rally from a 1‑0 deficit, was the sixth defeat of the season and left Burnley with just one win in their last 24 league games. The club has also conceded 25 goals in the first 12 Championship matches, the worst defensive record in the division. Hayen’s final press conference was brief; he remarked that he would not “lose his energy” over his future, a statement that came after the club’s announcement of his sacking.
Hayen had been brought in by owner Alan Pace with the aim of securing promotion, following a successful spell at Club Brugge where he won the Belgian title in 2024. Burnley had achieved promotion in both 2023 and 2025, but the current campaign has failed to meet expectations. With the club now positioned near the bottom of the table, the decision to part ways with Hayen marks the second managerial dismissal in the Championship this season, after Preston’s Paul Heckingbottom was sacked earlier in the year.