Heerenveen manager Robin van Persie admitted he gained more insights than anticipated after his team endured a crushing 9-1 defeat in the Dutch league on Saturday, but he remains committed to his current approach.

The ex-Arsenal and Manchester United striker is in his debut season as a top-flight coach, and in his fourth game at the helm, his team experienced their heaviest-ever loss against AZ Alkmaar.

What He Said:

'This is tough. You´ll encounter a number of bumps in your career. This was a very big bump. 

'We learned a few more lessons from this match than we normally would,' said van Persie, who has won one game, drawn one and now lost two matches in the new league season after being appointed as coach of the club.

'This is part of football. I have not been traumatised by this and neither have my players. 

'You want to get the best out of yourself. That involves falling and getting up again.'