3 days Ago By Robin Mumford
Robin van Persie's early managerial journey reached a crushing low as his Heerenveen team slumped to a staggering 9-1 defeat to AZ Alkmaar on Saturday afternoon. In his inaugural season as a top-flight coach, the former Arsenal and Manchester United star experienced his most significant setback yet, overseeing his club's heaviest defeat ever in just his fourth match in charge. This record-breaking defeat comes on the heels of a rocky start to the new season for Heerenveen, who have earned just four points from their first four games.
Despite this, a narrow 1-0 loss to Ajax early in the campaign offers the team a glimmer of hope that better days are on the horizon. Determined to keep his team's spirits up, Van Persie, who previously served as an assistant coach to Dick Advocaat at Feyenoord, spoke out following the defeat. He focused on the positives amid the challenging circumstances, acknowledging that he learned more lessons than anticipated , but remains committed to his approach.
What Van Persie Said After Losing 9-1 Ever keen not to let the crushing defeat deter him, Van Persie, who has won one game, drawn one, and lost two in his new role as Heerenveen's coach, addressed the situation with resilience and perspective. Reflecting on the match, he said, “This is tough. You’ll encounter a number of bumps in your career.
This was a very big bump. We learned a few more lessons from this match than we normally would.” The Dutchman also emphasised that this challenge is part of football and assured that neither he nor his players have been demoralised, stating: “This is part of football.
I have not been traumatised by this and neither have my players. You want to get the best out of yourself. That involves falling and getting up again.
” He drew from his own experiences, recalling a particularly harsh defeat during his time in the Premier League . “I also know how it works. I also lost 8-2 to Manchester United once,” Van Persie added.
“That wasn’t fun either, but it’s part of being a footballer. It’s part of everyone’s journey to become the best version of themselves.” There are 34 players in the Premier League 100 Club but who is the best ranked player? Wise beyond his years, Van Persie then highlighted the importance of perseverance and taking ownership of both victories and defeats: “That’s a road of trial and error, but in the end, it’s precisely at moments like these that it’s about owning it like a guy.
Towards the boys, the media, your family and friends. The football world can be quite a tough world. Quite a lot of people like it when things go badly.
You have to own that. It’s very easy to be happy and put on some music when you win a game. Then everyone is at their best.
” Van Persie Plans to Stick With Attacking Philosophy During his playing career, Van Persie scored 274 goals in 595 club appearances. Despite a 9-1 defeat that might overwhelm many novice managers, the flying Dutchman pressed on with his post-match responsibilities, affirming his commitment to channeling his illustrious playing career into a managerial approach that prioritizes attacking football. GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic : Robin Van Persie is the Netherlands' all-time record goalscorer.
His 50 goals in 102 international caps equates to a goal every 147 minutes for his nation. "Even when things aren ́t going your way, with three goals in quick succession in the second half, it's important to keep doing the things you agreed on," he responded to questions regarding his own philosophy. "We'll keep playing our own game.
That's what I believe in and what we believe in. Tuesday is the next chance against FC Twente," he added, referring to Heerenveen's next league match, which also away from home..
