Maccabi Tel Aviv Adds Belgian Assistant Coach and Neuroscience Expert to Staff

Maccabi Tel Aviv announced the appointment of two new staff members on July 1, 2026, expanding the coaching team led by head coach Kenny Miller. The club signed Belgian assistant coach Brandt Thys, 47, and neuroscience and performance specialist Ludo Pollers. Thys, a former Belgian international midfielder, brings extensive experience from over 500 appearances with prominent European clubs including Standard Liège, Racing Genk, Trabzonspor, Borussia Mönchengladbach, and Gent. He also earned seven caps with Belgium's senior national team and represented the country at various youth levels. After retiring as a player, Thys transitioned into coaching, serving as assistant coach at Gent, Standard Liège, and Saudi club Al-Raed. Most recently, he worked with Hungarian club Győr, contributing to their championship win under head coach Steven Vanhaeren.

Joining alongside Thys is Ludo Pollers, a neuroscience and performance expert who collaborated with Thys at Győr over the past two years. Pollers has a broad background supporting elite athletes and performance managers across multiple sports. His previous roles include work with the Belgian Biathlon team, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Aspire Academy in Qatar, and as a staff member for Belgium's national ice hockey team. This dual addition aims to enhance Maccabi Tel Aviv's competitive edge through both tactical coaching and advanced sports science.