Familiar faces can often be the bridge between a club’s supporters and their new manager.
Maurizio Sarri appointed Gianfranco Zola for what turned out to be a one-year stay at Chelsea back in 2018. Between stints as interim manager, Duncan Ferguson has aided Carlo Ancelotti, Rafael Benitez, and now Frank Lampard in the Everton dugout. David Moyes, meanwhile, has both Stuart Pearce and Kevin Nolan working under him at West Ham.
It has been regular occurrence at Manchester United over the years, too: Ryan Giggs with Moyes and Louis van Gaal, then Michael Carrick supporting Ole Gunnar Solskjaer over the course of his three-year spell.
Now with Erik ten Hag on the brink of becoming United’s next permanent manager, the Dutchman is reportedly considering adding Robin van Persie to his coaching line-up at Carrington.
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Van Persie played for United from 2012 to 2015, steering them to the Premier League title in his first season, which also proved to be Sir Alex Ferguson’s last at the club.
He joined Fenerbahce and then Feyenoord, where he retired and is now coaching in two capacities.
Van Persie had been mainly focusing on training Feyenood’s strikers in an unofficial role during the 2020-21 season, but he was then employed to continue this supporting role with the first team, as well as becoming the joint-coach of the U16 team with Brian Pinas.
“It really triggered me, especially working with the youth,” Van Persie told The Star last year, with his son Shaqueel coming through the ranks at Feyenoord.
“It’s just a joy to work with. Mentally and physically I am ready to make the step into coaching. I was a player who was creative and I never liked a coach who told me what to do exactly because I wanted my freedom, so now what I try to do is have two parts to my coaching style.
“One, you have the team philosophy, and two, you have the personal way of working together with the players. At any time I try to always [get them] to keep their freedom, because all these guys are really talented and that is why they’re playing at such a good club.
“It’s constantly trying to find that balance of making them play from your philosophy, but still let them be creative in their own way.”
This desire to promote creativity and individuality could makes its way to United, but it would appear there are a few obstacles – including a work permit issue.
Coaches require a Governing Body Exemption (GBE) to work in the Premier League, but a lack of top-level coaching experience could count against Van Persie, ESPN claim.
There is also the fact his son Shaqueel is currently part of the U16 setup at Feyenoord, and Van Persie may therefore be unwilling to leave while his son is on the difficult path towards becoming a professional.
One appointment that appears more likely should Ten Hag take the reins at United is that his Ajax assistant could join him.
Mitchell van der Gaag is the current No 2 at Ajax, and as a former centre-back – playing for Motherwell from 1995 to 1997 as well as stints with PSV and Utrecht – his expertise have helped the Dutch club concede just 15 goals in 29 league games so far this season.
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As a manager in his own right, Van der Gaag kept Excelsior up in the Eredivisie across his two seasons in charge from 2016 to 2018 – they were relegated the year after he left.
He then took charge of NAC Breda, but finished bottom of the Eredivisie table in 2018-19, before joining Ajax’s reserve team Jong Ajax.
Van der Gaag has only been Ten Hag’s assistant for the current season, with Ajax well poised to defend the title they coasted to last year.
Whether this Dutch influence can propel United to greater heights remains to be seen, but it would appear Ten Hag favours familiarity – both for himself in Van der Gaag, and for United’s fans in Van Persie. Time will tell whether these appointments come to fruition.
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