Feyenoord appoint former MLB star Robert Eenhoorn as general manager

Robert Eenhoorn has joined Feyenoord as their general manager
Robert Eenhoorn has joined Feyenoord as their general managerPhoto by VINCENT JANNINK / ANP MAG / ANP VIA AFP

Feyenoord have appointed former AZ director Robert Eenhoorn as general manager following the departure of Dennis te Kloese, the club confirmed on Saturday.

Eenhoorn, 58, was AZ's general manager between 2014 and 2024, when he left to go on sabbatical. In Alkmaar, Eenhoorn made AZ financially stable and modernised the sporting philosophy, also by bringing in MLB executive Billy Beane as a special advisor, who's best known as the protagonist in the movie 'Moneyball'.

The Rotterdam-born Eenhoorn will take Dennis te Kloese's role as Feyenoord's general manager after the former left the club for Mexican giants CF Monterrey.

"It will come as no surprise to anyone that, as someone born and bred in Rotterdam, I am very proud to be joining Feyenoord," Eenhoorn said on the club website.

"When I was approached a while ago about potentially succeeding Dennis te Kloese, we had extensive discussions about my role and my vision for the club, as well as the club’s own vision. Those were fruitful conversations, after which I felt that Feyenoord is now the right choice for me."

In Rotterdam, Eenhoorn will work closely with manager Robin van Persie as they prepare to compete in the UEFA Champions League following a second-place finish in the Eredivisie.

Rigaux set to join from Club Brugge

Feyenoord are also expected to appoint Club Brugge sporting director Devy Rigaux, who confirmed that he'll join the Rotterdam club as their technical director. "We haven’t signed anything yet, but I’ve given my word," he told Sporza. "I’ll be finishing off and handing over a few more cases. I’ll be starting at Feyenoord on 1 June at the earliest."

Concluding his maiden interview with the club, Eenhoorn, who spent three years in the Major League Baseball as a shortstop for the New York Yankees and California/Anaheim Angels, focused on evolving Feyenoord into a modern sports institution.

"I’m looking forward to getting started, not least because I feel that, after a number of good years, the club is ready for a new chapter, or call it the next step. The most important thing is that we chart the right course together and set sail on it. The challenge is to ensure that Feyenoord’s historic identity is preserved, whilst also creating all the conditions that a modern elite sports organisation must meet," Eenhoorn concluded.