Van Hanegem demands greater intensity from Shaqueel van Persie

Willem van Hanegem has challenged Shaqueel van Persie to raise the intensity of his game after the young forward appeared as a substitute against ADO Den Haag. Van Persie played for just under half an hour, but his contribution left the former Feyenoord player wanting more.

Writing in his weekly Algemeen Dagblad column, Van Hanegem said Van Persie does not yet play with enough urgency when introduced from the bench. He felt the youngster was too focused on getting into scoring positions and did not consistently track opposing players, leaving that responsibility to his team-mates.

Van Hanegem believes Van Persie has the finishing ability to make an impact and understands why Feyenoord supporters are eager to see him play. However, he warned that talent in front of goal alone will not be sufficient if the son of Robin van Persie wants to establish himself at the highest level. “It is no longer youth football,” he wrote, as relayed by VI.

The criticism came alongside Van Hanegem’s assessment of Ayase Ueda, whose most recent performance he described as poor. While he suggested Van Persie could eventually offer similar qualities around goal, he stressed that the youngster must work harder and increase his tempo if he is to take over Ueda’s role.