Ex-Manchester United hero given Sir Alex Ferguson comparison after agreeing major managerial deal

Add as preferred source on Google

Former Manchester United striker Robin van Persie has landed a major managerial job having returned to boyhood club Feyenoord.

So many of Sir Alex Ferguson’s former players are in management after learning under the Manchester United legend.

Ruud van Nistelrooy is in charge of Leicester City and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recently linked up with Besiktas whilst Steve Bruce became Blackpool boss earlier this season.

Mark Hughes is now in at Carlisle United but it isn’t all good news; Michael Carrick is feeling the heat at Middlesbrough and Wayne Rooney lost his job at Plymouth Argyle this season.

In truth, players who featured under Ferguson have been through mixed fortunes as managers, and one of his former strikers has now made an enormous move.

• READ MORE: The staggering amount Man United have spent sacking managers since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013

Robin van Persie earns Sir Alex Ferguson comparison

The 2012 swoop to sign Robin van Persie from Arsenal will go down in history as one of Ferguson’s finest moves.

Van Persie secured the Premier League title for United in 2013, clawing the crown back from Manchester City in Ferguson’s final ever season.

Now 41, Van Persie became the Heerenveen boss last summer as he took his first step into management.

Van Persie is only part way through his first season as a manager but has already secured a huge move – despite sitting in mid-table of the Eredivisie.

Feyenoord have appointed Van Persie as their new boss whilst hiring former United assistant coach Rene Hake as his right-hand man.

This is an enormous step up for Van Persie and many in Rotterdam are concerned that this move has come too soon.

Dutch analyst Hugo Borst has echoed those fears but has actually offered lofty comparisons for Van Persie.

As quoted by FC Update, Borst suggested that Van Persie has traits of both Ferguson and Dutch legend Rinus Michels.

Borst feels that Van Persie’s self-confidence is reminiscent of those two coaching legends whilst also offering an ‘authoritarian’ style early into his managerial career.

“Yes, he certainly has a number of qualities that he doesn’t even need to develop anymore,” said Borst.

“The way he is coming forward now, as a bit of an authoritarian boy, self-confident. You need that as a trainer. I see traits of Michels in him, traits of Ferguson,” he added whilst suggesting that Van Persie has some stubbornness to him.

• READ MORE: Robin van Persie fires dig at ‘sensitive’ Arsenal fans in response to managing Gunners or Man Utd in the future

United interested in two of Van Persie’s top talents

Van Persie will certainly hope to have even a fraction of Ferguson’s success but Feyenoord fans will need some patience.

The former striker is a Rotterdam boy and a Feyenoord legend from his playing days though and that may buy him some time.

Van Persie inherits a club with a strong history of youth development and his previous job as a Feyenoord youth coach may give him some knowledge of key prospects.

Givairo Read and Antoni Milambo are two such talents and both players happen to be on United’s radar.

United were linked with Milambo in December as the midfielder shows huge potential in the Feyenoord side.

Defender Read is also on United’s radar but it was Van Persie who tempted him to Feyenoord in the first place and he may fancy developing under him for a while yet.

United will be keeping close tabs on both players ahead of the summer window and may well look to snatch both away from Van Persie at the next opportunity.