Rotterdam – Reports circulating in recent days regarding the future of Feyenoord manager Robin van Persie have been firmly dismissed by Dutch journalist Marcel van der Kraan. Claims that the club initiated an internal investigation into the potential consequences of dismissing the former Arsenal and Manchester United striker have been labeled “literally bullshit” by van der Kraan, speaking on the Kick Off podcast from De Telegraaf.
The controversy stems from a report suggesting Feyenoord was assessing the ramifications of a potential managerial change. However, van der Kraan insists this is entirely untrue. “There is so much garbage and so much nonsense on all kinds of websites,” he stated, adding that he personally verified the information. “There has been absolutely no investigation into whether it would be useful to fire Van Persie. It is now claimed that Feyenoord’s lawyer, Joris van Benthem, investigated the effect of firing a coach and whether it would be wise. The outcome would then be decisive. It is literally bullshit. It just didn’t happen.”
Van der Kraan’s denial comes amidst a period of scrutiny for Van Persie, who took the helm at Feyenoord in January. While the team currently sits second in the Eredivisie table, their recent form has drawn criticism. The journalist also highlighted ongoing changes within Feyenoord’s administrative structure, noting a move towards simplification. “The Friends of Feyenoord are currently being bought out. The funny thing is that everyone is constantly saying that things necessitate to be simpler at Feyenoord. The structure of the club is too complicated and too many people have influence. Exactly what is happening now: The Friends of Feyenoord have two people on the supervisory board and are being bought out. This simplifies the structure. This is what the club is doing now. They are also going to buy De Kuip. The VASF is being bought out and they also had a say in everything.”
The restructuring efforts appear to be a response to long-standing concerns about the club’s complex organizational chart. The move to streamline decision-making processes could signal a broader effort to improve efficiency and focus on the sporting side of the operation. Valentijn Driessen, also appearing on the Kick Off podcast, acknowledged the administrative shifts but emphasized that the current discourse surrounding Feyenoord is primarily driven by on-field performance.
“The game is just very bad but Feyenoord is still second and they have everything in their own hands,” Driessen commented. “Next week they have Ajax at home, so they can shake off another competitor. It’s not being played well, but that’s the case with many others.”
Van der Kraan echoed Driessen’s assessment, downplaying the notion of a full-blown crisis at the club. “I completely agree. The game needs to improve. Van Persie wanted to compete for the title. But everyone is now repeating that there is a crisis at Feyenoord. Wessel Penning says it is one of the biggest crises in the history of Feyenoord. I don’t know if you were in the stadium in the 1980s, when I was there following the club with Rinus Israël as coach. He had to flee for his life from supporters into the catacombs. They had seasons with eight thousand supporters.”
While dismissing the idea of an immediate crisis, van der Kraan did acknowledge a concern regarding the quality of recent player acquisitions. “You are constantly losing your best players, then everyone expects replacements to be ready immediately. That’s where the gamble lies: do you bring in modern players with a certain certainty, or do you take more risk? At Feyenoord, We find too many players who have been average or below average. There are too many players of this category, and they are getting a few more back from loan deals. They had to quickly bring in players because they lost three central defenders at the beginning of the season.”
The reliance on loan players and the influx of what van der Kraan describes as “average” talent raise questions about the long-term sustainability of Feyenoord’s squad. Balancing immediate needs with strategic player development will be crucial for Van Persie as he attempts to build a title-contending team. The upcoming match against rivals Ajax will undoubtedly be a significant test, offering an opportunity to solidify their position in the league and silence some of the growing criticism.
Feyenoord’s next challenge comes on Sunday, March 22nd, when they host Ajax at De Kuip. The match is scheduled for 2:30 PM CET (1:30 PM GMT). Fans can follow live updates and analysis on the official Feyenoord website and through major sports news outlets.
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