'With this kind of performance and these results, Van Persie would have been sacked at any other Eredivisie club' | Goal.com
With this level of performance and these results, Robin van Persie would have been sacked at any other Eredivisie club. Every day on Voetbalzone, we put forward three arguments about the top Dutch clubs. We also regularly focus on teams outside the traditional top three. Does Feyenoord manager Van Persie have too much leeway from the club’s board, or are the players letting him down? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Even after the disappointing 0-0 draw against FC Volendam, Feyenoord remain in second place in the Vriendenloterij Eredivisie. It was yet another underwhelming performance from the Rotterdam side, both defensively and offensively. Raheem Sterling once again failed to impress in the Feyenoord shirt, and even Ayase Ueda, the top scorer with 22 goals, couldn’t make the difference in the fishing village. It all adds even more pressure to next week’s top-of-the-table clash against third-placed NEC.
Van Persie refused to openly criticise his players following the lacklustre performance. The Rotterdam manager directed his comments, with a striking amount of cynicism, primarily at the VAR. Van Persie was clearly annoyed about penalty incidents involving Gonçalo Borges and Ueda. “Was the VAR there today? Were they really there? Oh, okay. Well, good to know they were there,” he said, full of sarcasm, at the subsequent press conference in Volendam.
Van Persie said nothing about Sterling and Borges, among others, who made absolutely no impression as wingers against the valiant Volendam. Nor did he mention Mats Deijl, who was blatantly outwitted in the closing stages, though fortunately goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther came to the rescue. Luciano Valente, in the frame for national manager Ronald Koeman’s final World Cup squad, did not make Van Persie a winning manager against the Eredivisie strugglers either. Just one point and the realisation that second place is very much in jeopardy.
It has certainly been a season of struggles for Van Persie. It all started with the fuss over the captaincy. Quinten Timber, who has since moved to Olympique Marseille, quickly lost the captain’s armband, and Sem Steijn also lost his place as captain at De Kuip. The armband has been on Wellenreuther’s arm since January, but that did not restore calm at Feyenoord. Van Persie appeared set to be sacked following a poor run in the Eredivisie and Europa League and criticism from several players. This was followed by discussions with technical director Dennis te Kloese, who refused to sack the coach and found a solution by appointing Dick Advocaat – who had previously helped Giovanni van Bronckhorst through a difficult period – as an advisor.
On Monday’s Rijnmond sports programme, the struggling Feyenoord side was not spared. “Feyenoord lacks initiative, and that is certainly linked to this. You can see from every angle that this is a team lacking in confidence. There is visible fear,” said former striker Harry van der Laan, who believes Advocaat has added little so far. “He is a manager who thinks defensively, and you can see that reflected in the team. Feyenoord are good at keeping a clean sheet, but the few chances you get must be converted.”
Van der Laan believes that, as a top club, Feyenoord should be far more dominant against lower-league sides like Volendam. “When you go to Volendam as a big club, you’re expected to be completely dominant and you have to be wary of counter-attacks. It was an evenly matched game, and that does worry me. You can always drop points, but now it’s because you’re not much better,” said the analyst, echoed by Ali Boussaboun: “The biggest problem is the lack of creativity. In the final third of the pitch, you don’t have players who can easily get past their man.”
It is up to Van Persie to get Feyenoord playing their best football quickly in the most crucial phase of the season. NEC and FC Twente are in fine form and breathing down the neck of the second-placed side. Van Persie and his team still have five matches to go, including three away fixtures and a visit from cup finalists AZ to De Kuip on 10 May. Van Persie is a young manager and currently enjoys the confidence of the club’s board in Rotterdam-Zuid. That could well change completely should Feyenoord struggle dramatically through the final stages of this campaign and throw away a Champions League spot after all.
The daily PSV view: PSV could become the Bayern Munich of the Netherlands in the coming years.The daily Ajax view: The central pairing of Nick Verschuren and Dies Janse is better than Josip Sutalo and Youri Baas.
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