Henk Brugge has discussed his successful spell as manager of Cercle Brugge in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League in an interview with AD Sport. The coach, now in charge of Telstar, looks back on three seasons where he guided Cercle to fifth and sixth place finishes and even reached the UEFA Europa Conference League play-offs.
The interview by Nik Kok was published on 28 August 2026, as Cercle Brugge themselves are experiencing a difficult start to the season. The green-and-black club currently sits thirteenth in the Jupiler Pro League with just two points from three matches, following one loss and two draws. They have scored five goals and conceded six, resulting in a negative goal difference of minus one. The gap to leaders Club Brugge KV is seven points. The next opportunity to improve comes with the home match against Lommel United on 29 August, an opponent currently in eighth place. Fans can follow the full schedule on our fixtures page.
What did Henk Brugge achieve at Cercle?
Henk Brugge was in charge of Cercle Brugge for three full seasons. Under his guidance, the team finished fifth in the Jupiler Pro League. The following season he nearly repeated that feat with a sixth-place finish. Those results were enough to secure participation in the play-offs for the UEFA Europa Conference League, a highlight of his tenure at the club. His contract expired in the summer of 2025 and was not renewed. According to the interview, the club wanted to move forward with a coach who had a bigger name in football.
How did he build authority without a pro career?
A striking aspect of Brugge's career is that he never played at a professional level himself. His playing career took place in amateur football with SVV Scheveningen. He admits this was initially a disadvantage. "You have to win trust," he told AD Sport. He had to prove himself as a coach more than colleagues with an impressive playing past. His philosophy revolves around building a connection and mutual respect. He started his coaching career in the youth academy of ADO Den Haag, worked there as an assistant, became head coach of Jong ADO, and eventually led the first team as well.
Where does Cercle Brugge stand now?
While Brugge tells his story, Cercle Brugge is trying to climb out of its current slump under his successor. The statistics show a team struggling for consistency. With two points from three games, the urgency is high, especially considering the seven-point gap to the city rival at the top. The defence, which has conceded six goals, requires attention. The upcoming home match against Lommel United is a direct chance to collect points and move up in the standings. The current squad can be found in our squad overview.
What does this mean for the future?
Henk Brugge's story underscores that coaching talent doesn't necessarily have to come from a top playing career. For Cercle Brugge, the lesson might be that continuity can be valuable. The club is now experiencing a tough start, but the season is still young. The focus is entirely on the immediate future: a series of matches that must lay the foundation for the rest of the year. Last season's performance, under a different coach, shows that European ambitions lie within this team. It is now up to the current squad and staff to realise that potential, starting with the meeting against Lommel.
