Feyenoord sack Robin van Persie after 16 months in charge

Feyenoord have sacked Robin van Persie after 16 months as manager, ending his second spell at the club earlier than expected. The former Arsenal and Manchester United striker had led Feyenoord to second place and Champions League qualification in his only full season, but the club finished 19 points behind PSV Eindhoven.

The decision came just two weeks after Devy Rigaux was appointed technical director and Robert Eenhoorn became general manager. Rigaux said Van Persie deserved credit for guiding the team through a difficult season and securing Champions League football, but added that the club had carried out a detailed review and decided a fresh start was needed for next season.

That review took into account Feyenoord’s style of play and a decline in results over the campaign. Although second place ensured a return to Europe’s top competition, the club’s internal assessment concluded that performance levels and points totals were trending in the wrong direction. As a result, they opted to appoint a new head coach before the new season begins.

Van Persie’s relationship with Feyenoord runs deep. He began and ended his playing career there, scoring 46 goals in 122 appearances for the Rotterdam club. After retiring, he moved into coaching, working as an assistant under Dick Advocaat and later with Feyenoord’s youth teams before taking charge of Heerenveen in May 2024.

He returned to Feyenoord nine months later, but his comeback in the dugout has now come to an abrupt end. The 42-year-old leaves behind a mixed but significant spell, having delivered Champions League qualification while also facing scrutiny over the team’s broader development.

Van Persie is best remembered by English fans for his eight years at Arsenal, where he won the FA Cup, and for his move to Manchester United in 2012, where he won the Premier League in his first season.