NOS Football•
Van Persie condemns threats from Te Kloese: ‘Disrespectful and completely inappropriate’
“Disrespectful and completely inappropriate.” This is how Robin van Persie calls the threats against Feyenoord director Dennis te Kloese. “I think something about that,” said the trainer in the run-up to the match away at FC Utrecht next Sunday.
“Yes, we are in a lesser phase together, but we must continue to respect each other at all times,” Van Persie said during a press conference. “That did not happen. And I find that very disappointing for Dennis. Also for his family. It also shows that many people have short-term memory. He has achieved very good goals as leader of this club.”
Robin van Persie’s characteristic smile has been missing for some time. Feyenoord is seventeen points behind PSV and lost without a chance to the unapproachable leader last weekend. NEC still has a match in hand and can take over second place, which entitles them to Champions League football next season.
Van Persie said it is possible he will make changes against Utrecht. But he did not want to go into details. “It is clear that things have to improve. No, I certainly didn’t like Sunday. Of course losing is not fun. But I still go to 1980 every day with a good feeling” – Feyenoord’s training complex.
Sparring with Hiddink and Van Basten
He likes to spar with former coaches Guus Hiddink and Marco van Basten. “I have a good relationship with them. But I do spar with more people. With some ex-trainers, ex-players. If anyone is open to learning every day, it is me.”
What are their tips? “Stay close to yourself. Keep working hard, regardless of the result. And eventually it will turn around, I radiate that belief to everyone and everything, that we will turn this around together.
During the press moment, it was also about Van Persie’s communication style, which came into conflict this season with Quinten Timber, the former captain of Feyenoord who left for Olympique Marseille. And previously also with left back Quilindschy Hartman (Burnley), and at sc Heerenveen with goalkeeper Andries Noppert.
Van Persie: “I look at my own actions, I always do that. And I am very satisfied with how I do it. I think it is authentic, it is open, honest. It is often viewed from a positive perspective.”
“But sometimes there is also a meeting that is a bit more direct: a bad news conversation. Then I understand that a player did not have a fantastic feeling about it. But that is also part of my job.”
Criticism
The trainer says that criticism is part of it. “That is also part of the people’s club that Feyenoord is. That is also a strength, all that emotion, especially on good days. Then that emotion, especially among our supporters, feels like a twelfth man. That is very nice. But if you lose more often than you win, then that emotion is also there.”
“If you compare it with the past, it has become a bit harder, a bit more. Nowadays you also have all kinds of podcasts. But I personally have found a good way to deal with that. I respect it.”
Van Persie is still dealing with a laundry list of injuries, such as Sem Steijn, Givairo Read, Gijs Smal, Tsuyoshi Watanabe and Gernot Trauner. “The situation we are in is challenging. We are missing a lot of players. That is not an excuse but a fact. But if you look at the players who are there, I have every confidence in it next Sunday. It would be very nice if we win.”
