Van Persie becomes Feyenoord coach, praises Wenger as father figure

Robin van Persie (42), the coach, said he was congratulated by his former mentor on becoming Hwang In-beom's (29, Feyenoord) new coach.

Feyenoord officially announced on the 23rd (Korean time) on their club website that 'van Persie is the new coach of Feyenoord. The club reached an immediate transfer agreement with Heerenveen, where he was in charge of the first team. Van Persie signed a contract until the summer of 2027.'

Rene Hake, the head coach, will also join the team. He previously served as the head coach at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag, and he will now work with van Persie. Feyenoord stated, 'Hake has gained extensive experience over the past 20 years at Emmen, Zwolle, Utrecht, Go Ahead Eagles, and Manchester United. He also signed a contract until the summer of 2027.'

Van Persie returned to his home team as a coach. He expressed, 'I am proud and honored. Everyone knows how special my bond with Feyenoord is. I look forward to training and playing together with a strong staff and squad to achieve success.'

Dennis de Klok, the Director General of Feyenoord, also expressed, 'I am glad to appoint a club icon as the new coach. Van Persie knows the club very well and knows exactly what is needed to achieve results. He can help players improve based on his vast international experience. Van Persie's football philosophy perfectly aligns with the aggressive and organized football we pursue, combining courage and intensity.'

Van Persie is a legendary striker in the Netherlands and the Premier League (PL). A product of Feyenoord, he transferred to Arsenal in 2004 and excelled in the 2010-2011 season, scoring 18 league goals. Despite frequent injuries that kept him off the field, his scoring ability on the pitch was world-class.

Van Persie quickly became a key player for Arsenal. He captained the team in the 2011-2012 season and had his best year, playing all 38 PL matches for the first time. His final statistics were 30 goals and 9 assists in the PL and 37 goals in 48 official matches. However, his time with Arsenal ended there.

Van Persie transferred to Manchester United in the summer of 2012, saying it made Arsenal fans even angrier, as he added, 'the little boy inside me whispered.' He continued to perform well in a Manchester United jersey, registering 58 goals and 15 assists in 105 matches. In the 2012-2013 season, he finally lifted the dream PL championship trophy.

After his peak years, Van Persie joined Fenerbahçe in 2015 and returned to Feyenoord in 2018. After spending one season there, he hung up his boots. It marked the moment when Van Persie, the all-time leading scorer for the Netherlands national team (50 goals), retired from professional football.

Van Persie quickly transitioned into coaching. He worked as a coach, alternating between Feyenoord's youth teams and the first team. At that time, there were rumors that Ten Hag, who was then leading Manchester United, wanted Van Persie, but he chose to stay with his home team.

Building up experience, Van Persie began his coaching career last summer by signing a two-year contract with Heerenveen. The start was not easy. However, Van Persie gradually found stability and led the team back on track. Heerenveen, which typically finished in the mid-lower ranks, is now placed 9th out of 18 teams in Eredivisie.

As a result, Feyenoord, which was looking for a new coach, tapped into their club legend, Van Persie. Feyenoord earlier this month dismissed Coach Priske. They expected Coach Priske to fill the gap left by the departure of Arne Slot to Liverpool, but the parting occurred in about half a year.

Now Feyenoord prepares for a new era with Coach Van Persie. Temporarily leading the team, Pascal Bozsart is expected to return to manage the under-21 (U-21) team.

Attention is also focused on Hwang In-beom's future status. He immediately earned the trust of Coach Priske after joining Feyenoord this season, playing a key role. He established himself as an indispensable player in Feyenoord's midfield.

However, Hwang In-beom has frequently been sidelined due to recent fitness issues and injuries. He is currently resting and preparing for his return. Hwang In-beom needs to make an impression again under Coach Van Persie's system.

Meanwhile, Feyenoord will clash with Serie A leader Inter Milan in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League (UCL). After already defeating AC Milan, Feyenoord must eliminate another Milan team.

Van Persie mentioned that since his appointment as coach, he received congratulatory messages from his mentor Arsène Wenger, who, during his time at Arsenal, was like a father figure to him. He said, 'Our coach Wenger is like a father to me in football. He congratulated me on becoming a coach and wished me good luck,' and added, 'Wenger is like a father to me in football. I consider him like my father,' while smiling.

[OSEN = Lee In-hwan, reporter]