Robin Van Persie clearly doesn’t see Arsenal as the club where he can fulfil his dreams. Eight years of failure to bring back the glory days has resulted in his choice to not extend his contract.
He may score when he wants as the chant says, but is there a point if he doesn’t win when he wants. Opinions are divided as to why the Dutchman wants out but if a world-class player has only one major trophy to his name when he hits 29 years of age- as Van Persie will do next month- surely they will seriously consider their future?
A cynical reflection of his eight years in North London dictates he has only one trophy (from his first season) to show for his efforts. He knows he is good enough to play for a team that can deliver much more. Furthermore, his current situation can hardly be helped by Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas leaving the Emirates last summer to go and win prestigious club competitions at Man-City and Barcelona this season. They have winner’s medals that he craves. Why? One simple reason, those three players woke up and smelt the coffee by realising they had better chances of claiming success elsewhere.
If Van Persie’s comments of dissatisfaction towards the Arsenal board are to be believed, what choice does he have but to leave? If he’s not happy with the direction the club is taking in their attempts to move forward, as he claims after holding talks with Arsene Wenger and Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis, he would be cheating himself by not exiting. He doesn’t have the time on his hands to wait and see if it comes good; he has to be convinced that the team is currently in a good enough position to challenge for the top prizes.
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Some people argue that money is his motive. The opportunity to earn more money is always tempting for anyone. Van Persie may want to improve his financial situation and at Arsenal, that will not happen. Their wage structure is such that no players earn heaps above the rest. They will not adjust their policy to give Van Persie what he wants so if that is what he is after, he has no option but to leave. A lot of other clubs can and will offer him a lot more money so he would be spoiled for choice in that department.
However this is not the main reason. Here is a 29 year-old who has all the ability in the world and yet he is lucky to not have a totally empty trophy cabinet (How did Arsenal beat Man-Utd in 2005 F.A cup final?). With age against him, it’s also worth noting he’s extremely injury prone. He may not have a huge number of years left to play at the top level and win the big trophies. He wants to win these trophies and there are probably five or six clubs in Europe that he could move to and improve his chances of achieving that. He could just be the final piece to his next club’s jigsaw to give them the cutting edge they need.
With the calibre of teams chasing him, an increased salary will follow anyway. PSG in France could offer Van Persie more than Arsenal but will he move there? Not a chance. He can have the best of both worlds at Man-City, a club with money, ambition and pedigree. If he was convinced Arsenal could win major trophies, it’s likely he would happily stay despite not being paid more. His family are happy and settled in England which could remain a contributing factor as he decides on his long-term desire.
Ambition is the key. If Arsenal decide to sell their talisman this summer, don’t bet against him wearing a sky-blue shirt in Manchester next season.
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It’s not just van Persie who wants trophies, the fans deserve it more than anyone, but as our two new strikers have not been tested in the PL then how do we know how they will react, perhaps van Persie should give them and the fans and especially the club who have stood by him through thick and thin another change, but it’s obvious that all he can think about is the extra money he will receive. Just like most of the players today, only interested in money that the fans who pay their wages can only dream of. Greed pure and simple.
Rvp is not driven by money but by lack of ambition shown by the manager and the board .put yourself in his shoes eight years of profit making for the greed and selfish board .
A bit of both at 29 he knows he has limited time left in the game as a player to win things and make his and his family’s life comfortable after his playing days are over. So he wants to win something and have a good salary to boot some will see this as money grabbing but is it really or is looking after your own. Let us be perfectly honest earning that sort of money we all would jump at the chance except the top ten per cent of the country maybe. The other point is that the wages being offered now are footballs fault they have allowed this situation to come about and have openly embraced it maybe at sometime in the future somebody will say enough is enough and put some framework in place because in fifteen years time a player could earn 1 million a week for kicking a ball when does it stop when is it too much. As for Van Persie Good luck and best wishes in whatever you do you have done a good job for us when you have played.
its funny how everyone easily forgets that our so called ‘ lack of ambition’ is a result of our trusted players being on the treatment table all the time’.
When they finally shrug off the injury they want to move on.
This season it will be Diaby.watch this space.