Feyenoord manager Robin van Persie has made a significant family decision during a challenging period for the Dutch club, calling up his 19-year-old son Shaqueel for the first time in his professional career.
Family Milestone Amid Team Struggles
The teenage striker found himself on the substitutes bench during Feyenoord's disappointing 4-2 defeat against NEC Nijmegen on Sunday. Although Shaqueel didn't make his debut appearance, his inclusion marked an important step in his football development.
The match represented Feyenoord's third consecutive loss, putting pressure on the former Manchester United and Arsenal striker, who only took over as manager in February. The defeat featured a remarkable goal from NEC's Kento Shiogai, who scored from just past the halfway line to seal the victory.
Following in Famous Footsteps
Shaqueel van Persie is continuing the family legacy at the club where his father began his own illustrious career. The young forward initially joined Feyenoord in 2017 before signing his first professional contract in 2022.
His journey included a two-year spell in Manchester City's youth academy, which he joined in 2015. The highly-rated striker has trained multiple times with Feyenoord's first team and participated in friendly matches, but Sunday represented his first official call-up to the matchday squad.
Father's Grounding Influence
Robin van Persie has been careful to ensure his son remains grounded throughout his development. In a revealing interview on the High Performance Podcast in 2020, the former Netherlands international shared a telling story about teaching his son responsibility.
"I told him: 'Shaqueel, you sound like a loser when you talk like that,'" Van Persie recalled after his son complained about teammates and coaches following a match where he was on the bench. "'Winners take control, blame themselves and look at where they can improve. This is what you should be thinking about.'"
The 102-cap international noted an immediate transformation in his son's attitude following this conversation, describing how he saw "this tiger" emerge in training sessions with renewed focus and determination.
Managing Crisis Talks
Despite the team's recent poor form, Van Persie has attempted to downplay suggestions of a crisis at the club. Feyenoord have conceded ten goals in their last four league matches, with three consecutive defeats raising concerns among supporters.
"You could call it a crisis if you play very badly and show nothing," Van Persie stated. "But that is not the case. Against NEC we played a fantastic first half. We should have won that match."
The manager acknowledged the team's defensive issues, admitting: "We have conceded ten goals in the last four league games, and that is too many. Losing the last three games is unworthy of Feyenoord."
Attention now turns to Thursday's Europa League match against Glasgow Celtic, with Van Persie insisting there's no need for panic despite the team's current struggles.
