Feyenoord general director Robert Eenhoorn has broken his silence regarding the summer dismissal of former manager Robin van Persie, revealing that the club leadership has not spoken to the coach since his departure. The decision to remove Van Persie was made after a thorough internal evaluation.
The dismissal occurred in June, despite Van Persie guiding the Rotterdam club to a second-place finish in the Eredivisie last season, which secured a ticket to the UEFA Champions League. However, a declining points total and concerns over the team’s style of play prompted the new club leadership to intervene.
Eenhoorn made the joint decision alongside newly appointed technical director Dévy Rigaux. The choice to terminate Van Persie’s contract, which originally ran until the summer of 2027, was strictly analytical.
“We took the time to make an analysis and then made the decision,” Eenhoorn told the Algemeen Dagblad. “It was certainly not a decision based on emotion, nor on results. I make choices based on trend lines in processes, how they run. Facts are facts.”
Human Impact on Son Shaqueel and Short Exit Interview
The managerial change carried a distinct personal complication because Van Persie’s son, Shaqueel van Persie, remains part of the Feyenoord player selection. Eenhoorn admitted that the situation weighs on him, particularly regarding parental access to matches.
“I have not seen Robin after that,” Eenhoorn stated. “I do think about that. Shaqueel is injured now, but the human aspect is that parents just have to be able to come and watch their children.”
Regarding the parting conversation, the general director described the meeting as brief. “His farewell was a short conversation. I don’t think that’s wrong either when there’s bad news,” Eenhoorn explained.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst Takes Over as Feyenoord Tops Eredivisie
Following Van Persie’s departure, Feyenoord brought back Giovanni van Bronckhorst for a second term in De Kuip, with Sipke Hulshoff joining him. The tactical shift has yielded immediate results on the pitch.
Feyenoord currently sits at the top of the Eredivisie standings after nine matches played. The team prepares for an away fixture against PSV, which took the last three league titles in a row.
Meanwhile, Van Persie continues to draw interest from European clubs, including links to the Premier League, though football analysts expect the club-free coach to wait until 2027 before taking on his next professional role.
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