Mario Been Criticizes Feyenoord’s Quality and Van Persie’s Management

Former Feyenoord coach Mario Been has voiced strong criticism regarding the current state of the Rotterdam club, questioning the quality of the squad and the management decisions of head coach Robin van Persie. Been’s comments, made in the Dick voorMekaar Podcast, highlight concerns over player recruitment, squad depth, and the handling of key players like Quinten Timber.

Lack of Squad Quality

Been firmly believes that Feyenoord lacks sufficient quality within its current selection. “Feyenoord does not have sufficient quality, I firmly support that,” he stated. He pointed to issues with squad depth, citing instances where players are being deployed out of position due to a lack of suitable alternatives. Specifically, he mentioned a situation where a left-back was forced to play as a left winger following an injury, and a player purchased for eleven million euros is not receiving playing time.

Concerns Over Player Investment

The former coach also criticized the club’s recent transfer activity, suggesting that investments in new players have not yielded the desired results. He believes that Van Persie lacks confidence in players on the bench, representing a waste of over twenty million euros in transfer fees. Been also questioned the fitness of Diarra, suggesting he hasn’t fully impacted the team.

Questionable Management of Quinten Timber

Been expressed his disapproval of Van Persie’s decision to strip Quinten Timber of the captaincy. He believes this move could negatively impact Timber’s motivation and potentially lead to his departure from the club. “I don’t consider he’s going to renew [his contract], and that has to do with what happened around the captaincy,” Been said in an interview with Voetbalprimeur. He suggested that Timber should have remained captain until a concrete offer for his transfer materialized, arguing that removing the armband sends the wrong message.

Tactical and Performance Issues

Been also highlighted concerns about Feyenoord’s overall performance, describing their football as “difficult to watch.” He questioned the service provided to striker Santiago Ueda and suggested Ueda is not fully integrated into the team’s attacking play. He also noted a lack of motivation from opposing teams, stating, “You’re lucky that the rest don’t feel like coming second either.”

Second Place as a Realistic Goal

Despite his criticisms, Been acknowledged that securing second place in the league would be a positive outcome for Feyenoord, particularly considering the financial benefits it would bring.

Been’s comments reflect a growing sense of unease surrounding Feyenoord’s performance and raise questions about the direction of the club under Van Persie’s leadership.