Feyenoord are currently in second in the Dutch Eredivisie, trailing leaders PSV by 16 points. The Rotterdam giants, led by former Premier League great Robin van Persie, have gone through a difficult phase this season, with Feyenoord winning just 3 of their 14 games in all competitions between October 26th and January 18th.
With second place now in jeopardy, Feyenoord failed to win two of their last three league games.
To support Robin van Persie, who joined the club in February 2025, Feyenoord have now appointed the 78-year-old Dick Advocaat as a special advisor.
"I’d like to help Feyenoord, and Robin van Persie in particular, finish the season on a high,” Advocaat, who won't join Van Persie in the dug-out and will act in the background, said in a club statement.
"I’ve known Robin for almost twenty years, and we’ve always got on well. When I was a coach here, he, as a former top striker, wanted to share his knowledge with the forwards we had at Feyenoord. And now it’s my turn to support him. I’m happy to do so."
Technical director Dennis te Kloese said that Advocaat's appointment immediately spoke to Robin van Persie.
"Naturally, as club management, we’ve been discussing at length – particularly over the last few days – how we can support the team and the coaching staff during this crucial phase of the season. The first time I mentioned Dick Advocaat’s name to Robin, he reacted with immediate enthusiasm. I then noticed the same enthusiasm during my first meeting with Advocaat, so it all came together very quickly this week."
Dick Advocaat previously served as manager of several clubs across Europe, including Feyenoord, which he led from October 2019 to May 2021.
Advocaat, who started his new job on Wednesday, stepped down as Curaçao manager on February 23rd due to his daughter's health. The experienced manager led Curaçao to its first-ever FIFA World Cup, where the 'Blue Wave' will face Germany, Ecuador, and Ivory Coast.
