Vrancken warns that pressure on coaches can be deadly

In a dim hospital corridor, Wouter Vrancken heard the news that Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany collapsed on Friday and was rushed to hospital. The 47‑year‑old Belgian coach, who has been leading Hearts since last summer, immediately felt the gravity of the incident.

Vrancken, who was mentioned by Feyenoord earlier this summer, now manages Heart of Midlothian, better known as Hearts, with among others the Dutchmen Beau Reus and Jordi Altena in his squad. His previous appointments include KRC Genk, AA Gent and Sint‑Truiden. Vrancken, 47, has a long career in Belgian football.

Vrancken’s reaction

In an interview Vrancken said he was ‘very shocked’. “Of course I was very shocked. I hope everything gets okay quickly for him,” he said. He emphasized that Bayern is giving Kompany all the time to recover.

He regrets the negative spin the incident is receiving. “Because I think it’s a pity that now, as often happens, a negative twist is being given to it,” he added. According to Vrancken the media should respect the human side of coaches.

Aaron Danks reassures Kompany as Bayern triumphs in Fribourg

The heavy pressure on coaches

Vrancken describes the job as ‘a shitty job’. “Being a coach is basically a shitty job. Every half week Kompany has some kind of exam. If you don’t pass, you’re finished,” he explained about the stress. He compares the situation to a half‑weekly exam that every coach has to endure.

Nevertheless he believes that the pressure is not the main reason for the hospital admission. “Still, I think that mainly the fact that he was already ill is a large part of the cause,” he said, adding that in the profession one cannot simply rest for two weeks. Vrancken concluded that a coach cannot simply take two weeks off, even when ill, which underscores the limited space for recovery.

Columnist Nico Dijkshoorn praised Kompany as one of the nicest people, but confirmed that he is seriously ill due to a ‘quite nasty virus’. He reported that Kompany collapsed during a training session, was taken to the hospital by ambulance and will remain sidelined for weeks. The column notes that the virus causes ‘serious damage’ to Kompany’s body.

Vincent Kompany stable but hospitalized, Bayern imposes rest

Dijkshoorn admitted that for the first time in years he feels some empathy for Jürgen Klopp, the German national team coach, who was recently seen on the street with Kompany. Dijkshoorn noted that Klopp, who himself recently struggled with a virus, showed understanding for Kompany’s situation.