Robin van Persie has been appointed Feyenoord head coach on a contract through to the summer of 2027.
The former Arsenal and Manchester United striker will be assisted by Rene Hake, who spent the first part of the 2024-25 season as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.
Van Persie, who scored 46 goals and provided 16 assists as a player for Feyenoord across two spells, rejoins the Rotterdam-based club from Eredivisie rivals Heerenveen, appointed in July 2024 as his first head coach role.
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𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐧 𝐯𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐞, welcome home again! pic.twitter.com/mgaM8yl79e
— Feyenoord Rotterdam (@Feyenoord) February 23, 2025
Upon the appointment, Feyenoord CEO Dennis te Kloese said: “We are delighted to appoint Robin van Persie, a true club icon, as the new head coach of Feyenoord’s first team. Robin knows the club well and understands exactly what it takes to achieve results.”
“With his vast international experience, Robin will obviously be able to help our players develop further. His football philosophy aligns perfectly with what we aim for at Feyenoord: combining an attacking and well-structured style of football with tenacity, intensity, and determination.
“To support him in conveying this vision, we have found an experienced assistant coach in René Hake, who will also be joining Feyenoord’s first team staff from Monday onwards.”
The 41-year-old won nine of his 26 matches in charge of Heerenveen, whom he leaves ninth in the Eredivisie standings.
After retiring in 2018, Van Persie immediately transitioned to coaching there in 2019, helping at first-team and youth level.
Feyenoord had been without a permanent boss since Brian Priske was sacked on February 10 and replaced temporarily by Pascal Bosschaart. The Dutch club also confirmed that interim head coach Bosschaart will return to his role as the club’s under-21 coach, and thanked him for his efforts in temporary charge of the club.
Feyenoord are currently fourth in the Eredivisie, 14 points behind league leaders Ajax, but are in the last 16 of the Champions League having eliminated Milan in the play-off stage for the knockout rounds. They face NEC Nijmegen in the Eredivisie on March 1.
(Pieter van der Woude/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
