Van Persie sacked by Feyenoord despite finishing second as 19-point gap seals his fate

Robin van Persie has been sacked as Feyenoord head coach despite guiding the Rotterdam club to second place in the Eredivisie, with a 19-point gap to champions PSV Eindhoven and a string of poor results ultimately costing him his job.

Van Persie, who held a contract until 2027, was handed the role at De Kuip in February 2024 — his second managerial appointment after a difficult spell at Heerenveen, where he failed to last a full season. His tenure at Feyenoord ends with a 51 percent win rate from 58 games.

The decision was made by the club’s newly installed leadership team. General manager Robert Eenhoorn and technical director Devy Rigaux had both recently arrived and signalled they would assess Van Persie’s position before acting. Rigaux confirmed the review process in a statement: “We will take the time to analyse everything that has happened here this past season, so that we also have a picture to make decisions.”

The numbers made for uncomfortable reading. Feyenoord won just four of their final ten league games and suffered a damaging slump in form around November and December. In Europe, they managed only two wins from eight Europa League matches — a competition they entered after being beaten heavily by Fenerbahce in Champions League qualifying. They were also eliminated from the Dutch Cup in the second round.

Beyond results, Van Persie faced criticism over reported friction with players and persistent changes to his starting line-up, which undermined consistency throughout the campaign.

England international Raheem Sterling joined Feyenoord on loan from Chelsea in January, and Van Persie was called upon to publicly defend the winger’s performances during a difficult period of adaptation. Sterling’s future at the club now falls to whoever takes charge next.

Van Persie’s exit marks a second managerial setback for the former Netherlands international, who won the Premier League title with Manchester United in 2012-13 and was one of the most clinical strikers of his generation. Whether he pursues another coaching role in the short term remains to be seen.