The way in which Robin van Persie deals with his players may not suit an Eredivisie club. This is the conclusion of Kenneth Perez and Karim El Ahmadi This was the Weekend. The analysts think that Feyenoord’s coach may be harder on his players than they can handle.
“This is painful,” El Ahmadi begins. “Then you see that things are not going well at the club at all. He says something here that may certainly cause him to leave. In any case, I think that the two of you should have discussed this. Apparently, when I hear this, he did not know at first that the trainer said this behind his back. I did not think Van Persie said anything that suggests that Timber is not doing much.”
“Van Persie lacked an intention,” Perez agrees. “By this he meant that Timber is throwing his hat around a bit. That’s how the player interprets it. And let’s not forget that players have very long toes. They are very sensitive. You are dealing with a lot of people who generally cannot handle criticism very well.”
“But it is of course true that it is a trainer’s job to adapt to the perceived temperature of the selection,” the Dane continues. “Van Persie mentions his name and shirt number. He often mentions the wrong choices made by players. Timon did not do this well, Jordan Bos did not do that well. He also said that he wants to stay very close to himself. He is a little harder than the current footballer, so he thinks it does no harm if he is so critical. While as a player you may get the feeling that he is against you. Has he lost the dressing room or not?”
“If he says it outwardly, but also internally, then I wouldn’t have many problems with it as a player,” says El Ahmadi. “But if he does not say it to me internally and does say it externally, then I would also have problems with that as a player. With such an interview I get the feeling that that may be the case. In England you do not have to say that a trainer has not spoken to you. Everything a manager says, you have to go along with it.” Perez also thinks that Van Persie could perform better elsewhere. “It wouldn’t surprise me if he does much better in another country. This is not his time and not his competition.”
