Van Hanegem: Van Persie not a striker

19 March 2012 12:00

Netherlands legend Wim van Hanegem says Arsenal star Robin van Persie would be better suited in a deeper role rather than playing as a striker.

Van Persie has been in very impressive form at club level in the 2011/12 campaign, but van Hanegem believes he is not the right man for the main striker position in the Dutch national side.

"Van Persie is one of the stars of the Premier League, scores loads of goals, and Arsenal completely depend on him. However, I don't think he's a real striker," Van Hanegem said in his column in Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad.

"He has been turned into a striker at Arsenal and he often stays high up the pitch for them. However, he always drops deeper in Oranje because it takes longer before he gets the ball in the national team than at Arsenal. "

"That makes him less efficient and that's why he shouldn't play up front for Oranje. I'd like to see Huntelaar as striker, with van Persie behind him and Robben from the right. We can pretty much leave the left wing unoccupied."

Netherlands will come up against Denmark, Germany and Portugal in Group B at Euro 2012.