Robin van Persie, in only his fourth match as manager of SC Heerenveen, faced a record 9-1 defeat against AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch league, marking the largest loss in Eredivisie history. Despite the shocking scoreline, Van Persie emphasized his team's resilience, asserting they would not be 'traumatized' by the loss and would continue to play their style of football. The match saw Heerenveen briefly equalize before AZ's Troy Parrott scored four goals, leading to a total of nine conceded by Heerenveen, leaving them 12th in the league with four points from four games. Van Persie reflected on his own experiences with heavy defeats, recalling an 8-2 loss to Manchester United during his playing days, and stressed the importance of learning from such setbacks. He underscored that this challenging moment is part of the journey in football, advocating for a positive mindset and team solidarity amidst adversity.