The Robin van Persie gamble that could transform Burnley FC | OneFootball

Burnley should consider appointing Robin van Persie this summer following his dismissal from Feyenoord

Burnley will be playing Championship football once again next season, following a third relegation from the Premier League in five years, and will be hoping to make their stay in the second tier as short as the previous two times before.

Burnley won just four of their 38 Premier League games this season, scoring 38 and conceding 75, the most in the division, with only Wolverhampton Wanderers finishing beneath them.

Scott Parker did an incredible job to secure promotion with the Clarets last time around in the Championship, conceding a record-breaking 16 goals across the entire campaign, but following the departures of James Trafford, CJ Egan-Riley, and Josh Brownhill, all of whom were crucial under the former England midfielder, their solidity and cohesion totally collapsed.

Parker has since left his role at the helm following relegation, as an array of names have been linked with the vacancy at Turf Moor.

Steven Gerrard has been most prominently linked with the position, having been out of managerial work since leaving Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq nearly 18 months ago, whilst Wales boss Craig Bellamy has also seen his name thrown into the discussion, having previously worked as a coach under Vincent Kompany at the club.

Derby County's John Eustace and Cardiff City's Brian Barry-Murphy have also been touted as potential options, but as Burnley take their time to ensure the best appointment is made, they should consider a move for a former Arsenal and Manchester United striker, who has just been made available despite securing Champions League football for his previous side.

Burnley should consider appointing Robin van Persie as their new manager following his Feyenoord dismissal

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Robin van Persie is a name that those familiar with English and Dutch football will be very familiar with, with the 42-year-old having made 280 Premier League appearances, scoring 144 and assisting 59 across spells with both Arsenal and Manchester United.

Van Persie has since gone into coaching since retirement from the sport in 2019, initially becoming an assistant to Dick Advocaat at Feyenoord, where he retired as a player, before a spell in charge of Heerenveen led him to the top job in Rotterdam in February 2025.

Despite finishing in 2nd in the Eredivisie this season, securing Champions League football, Van Persie has been dismissed from his role, with Feyenoord's technical director Devy Rigaux saying: "We conducted a thorough internal analysis. In this, we took into account, among other things, the development of the style of play and the declining trend in terms of points total, both in Europe and in the Eredivisie.

"The conclusion was that it is better to start the next season with a new head coach."

Feyenoord finished a whole 19 points off champions PSV Eindhoven, and the Dutch side has decided to bite the bullet and allow Van Persie to leave, as Burnley should look to take advantage of the situation.

The Clarets found major success in the appointment of Vincent Kompany some four years ago, after the Belgian had started his coaching journey in his native country with Anderlecht, and the club should look to complete a similar trick with Van Persie.

The Dutchman prioritises a high-pressing, high-energy, attacking-based philosophy as a manager, which is no surprise for a person with his goalscoring record, and he would look to translate this to the Burnley side in the Championship next season.

Despite relegation, Burnley will certainly have one of the strongest squads in the second tier next campaign, and if Van Persie were appointed, his style of play could be just what Turf Moor needs.

Burnley must ensure they get their next managerial appointment spot on amid a highly competitive Championship roster

Burnley know what it takes to earn promotion from the Championship, having done so four times in the past 12 years, and spending the bulk of that period in the top flight.

However, despite this excellent record, they are not a given for promotion, and must ensure that they are as well-prepared as they possibly can be for the campaign ahead.

Whilst Van Persie doesn't have experience of coaching in England, nor did Kompany, and his appointment proved to be a masterstroke.

The Dutchman could be an inspired appointment, and at the very least should be considered alongside other candidates before Burnley makes a decision.