Robin van Persie has been confirmed as the new manager of Dutch giants Feyenoord after leaving Heerenveen with immediate effect.
The Premier League legend, 41, has managed Heerenveen since the start of the season but has left the club to immediately take the reins at De Kuip.
Feyenoord have agreed his exit with the Eredivisie side having initially been concerned that they may have to wait until the summer to get their man. The club confirmed he would start on Monday.
‘Everyone knows how special my bond with Feyenoord is,’ Van Persie said. ‘I am really looking forward to working with the group of players on 1908, together with a strong staff, and then playing matches in De Kuip, supported by the legion, and achieving success together.’
They will face either Arsenal or Inter Milan in the last 16 of the Champions League, meaning Van Persie could be set with a reunion with his old side at the Emirates.
Former Manchester United assistant coach Rene Hake, who left alongside Erik ten Hag in November, has been named as one of Van Persie’s assistants.
Robin van Persie has been confirmed as the new manager of former club Feyenoord
The Dutchman had been managing mid-table side Heerenveen and has left immediately
Feyenoord sacked Brian Priske earlier this month and sit fourth in Eredivisie, 14 points off Ajax, with Pascal Bosschaart in interim charge.
Feyenoord are Van Persie’s hometown club and he started his career with them, before joining them again at the end of his playing days.
He was part of the Feyenoord team that won the 2001-02 UEFA Cup, starting in their 3-2 final victory over Borussia Dortmund.
It was therefore no surprise when he kickstarted his coaching career with Feyenoord, joining Dick Advocaat’s set-up in an unofficial capacity to train strikers in 2020.
He rose through the ranks to become the manager of the under-19s team before taking up the job at Heerenveen this summer, his first top-level managerial post.
They are typically one of the Eredivisie’s most mid-table outfits – they have finished between eighth and 12th for the last eight seasons – and Van Persie has them riding ninth this campaign.
It has not all been plain sailing, though. Earlier this month, the former striker was left fuming after his side momentarily played against 12 men.
The Dutchman’s Heerenveen were 2-1 up at home against Fortuna Sittard in a mid-table clash when the bizarre incident occurred.
Fortuna Sittard made two substitutions with a minute left on the clock but one player failed to leave the pitch – which resulted in them having an extra player on the turf.
Heerenveen were momentarily forced to play against 12 men in the latter stages of the match
The visitors were then awarded a corner and equalised from it in the 90th minute thanks to a header by defender Rodrigo Guth, who ensured the points were shared.
And Van Persie slammed the ‘scandalous’ decision as his side missed the chance to leapfrog their opponents in the Dutch top flight.
‘Twelve against eleven. I didn’t know that was allowed, but apparently it is,’ the former Arsenal and Manchester United striker told ESPN.
‘It can’t be right that they’re playing with twelve men for a minute before that throw-in and corner.
‘I asked him if they shouldn’t do anything with it. For example, reverse the goal. It can’t be right. I think this is really scandalous.
‘If they’re playing with twelve men, we get a throw-in against us, so it certainly had an effect. In addition, the rules state that it’s eleven against eleven and not twelve against eleven.’
They also suffered a thumping 9-1 defeat by AZ in his fourth game in charge earlier this season.
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