In 2022, Haverfordwest County finished one place above the Cymru Premier relegation zone, a fine achievement for part-timers. The man behind the survival quest, the Belgian Nicky Hayen, was an unlikely dugout dweller in Welsh football but it proved an awakening for the club and their manager, who will lead Club Brugge against Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Both were in a difficult place when Hayen arrived in west Wales on New Year’s Eve 2021 to assume the dual role of manager and technical director. The Bluebirds were in a battle for survival and Hayen was looking to rebuild his career after relegation with Waasland-Beveren. It was an unlikely marriage that lasted less than a year, but still left an indelible mark.
