The successful trainer, who has brought Stuttgart back to life and is in the top four in the German Bundesliga, showers his colleague Robin van Persie and Feyenoord with compliments. He thinks the Rotterdam team’s football is fantastic this season.
As a player, Sebastian Hoeness, whose uncle Uli Hoeness played for Bayern his entire career and defeated Willem van Hanegem in the 1974 World Cup final, did not amount to much. He played football at the third level in Germany, but he does have the football brain of the Hoeness family and this is reflected as a trainer from the first steps in the profession. With such a famous father and uncle, he, like many sons of former stars, grew up without the need to be in the spotlight.
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Respect at Stuttgart for Robin van Persie
That is precisely why he shows a lot of respect for the current Feyenoord coach Van Persie and he thinks it is nice to be confronted with the Dutch School again.
“We are dealing with the number one in the Netherlands and that says something,” said Hoeness. “It is a team that plays in a classic Dutch way: in a 4-3-3 system, strong on the ball and with many ideas in positional play. They are well coached and play very intensively even without the ball. They capture many balls in the opponent’s half and defend courageously forward. We really have a job to do.”
Sebastian Hoeness. © Getty Images
But don’t underestimate Stuttgart’s smart coach. He is almost as young as Van Persie (43 compared to 42 years old) and also followed the modest path from youth to a first team.
He won the championship with Bayern Munich’s reserve team, after which Hoffenheim hired him as head coach in the Bundesliga in 2020. In April 2023 he switched to the club where he started as a player. He first saved VfB Stuttgart from relegation and then advanced to a place in the Champions League.
Great organized team
The icing on the cake came in the 2024-2025 season, when he met Those Swabia won the German Cup, Stuttgart’s first major prize in almost 20 years. Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid coach in 2024, described Hoeness as one of the most talented coaches he has seen in a long time. “Stuttgart is a wonderfully organized team and that is thanks to him,” said the Italian top coach.
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Problems in midfield at Feyenoord
Van Persie will therefore have to bring out all his tactical baggage to fight Hoeness’ team on German soil this Thursday evening. It doesn’t help that he only has two real midfielders at his disposal in midfield, which seemed to be overcrowded at the start of this season. In addition to the operated and long-disabled Pole Jakub Moder, Sem Steijn, Oussama Targhalline and In-beom Hwang also had to drop out. This leaves only Luciano Valente and Quinten Timber.
In fact, Hwang’s injury is so serious that he will be out until January. The Korean was crushed when he kicked the ball. He did not want to say how Van Persie will solve it during his last press conference in Germany. The tactical plan remains secret.
Ramon Hendriks fit for Stuttgart?
Opponent Stuttgart will have to wait and see whether former Feyenoord player Ramon Hendriks, who is doing well as a central defender in the Bundesliga, will be fit in time for the clash with his old club. Hoeness hopes so. “Because Ramon has undergone exceptionally good development. He is fast, strong and has the right mentality in the duels. He has no fear and always plays with high intensity. In addition, he is developing better and better with the ball. Moreover, he is a personality and a real team player. ”