I have many viewpoints on the situation regarding RVP.
Robin Van Persie managed to score 30 league goals for
Arsenal last season and won Player of the season. At the age of 29 Van Persie has just one year
on his contract, and a situation which is becoming increasingly common nowadays
has once again occurred where the club has to decide whether to cash in on the
player or hold onto him and run his contract down.
Many people have criticised RVP but if you take into account
the fact that Arsenal haven’t won a trophy for over 7 years now and the
pedigree of Van Persie it’s easy to see why he’d want to leave. Any human would
get fed up with having to ‘carry’ the team; and when others don’t perform you
have to start questioning the direction of the club. And this is exactly what
Van Persie has done.
If Van Persie truly wants to go and his play-acting isn’t to
get a new contract then I firmly agree with his decision to not sign a new
contract. At the age of 29, having won no trophies with Arsenal, and therefore
having very few trophies in his locker room he doesn’t have long left to start
getting winners medals. It’s one thing for a player who is a middle of the road
type of build, RVP however is not. RVP is a genuine world class player who deserves
world class service and worldwide winners medals. It would be wrong of him to
not attempt to move to a club who could well win something in the near future.
I don’t think Arsenal fit into this category. They have too many ‘middle of the
road’ players and not enough class amongst their ranks. If RVP stays at Arsenal
he would basically be saying that he lacks ambition and drive, which is not the
characteristics that allowed him to rise to stardom. Staying at Arsenal would more
than likely lead to champions league qualification at best. I cant see how in
the next 2/3 Arsenal are going to win trophies, especially when teams such as
Man City, United and Chelsea are all buying quality signings to boost their squads.
If and probably when RVP leaves few could blame him for his
decision.
Now theres a flipside to the situation; if RVP is claiming
he isn’t signing a new contract purely to get a pay rise then I cannot defend
him. If this is the case then he should be ashamed of himself, footballers
these days think they are bigger than the club. One good season in 7 and he’s
effectively holding the club at ransom. To come out and completely lie in order
to get more money is absolutely disgusting. Players forget when they sign their
contracts that the club is entitled to keep them to the end of it, often if
this happens the player ‘sulks’ like a 12 year old girl.
However, I don’t think this will be the case and I firmly
believe Robin will get his move. Few can complain about the move if his
intentions are right and he moves to a club where he can win trophies. He is
clearly a classy player when fit and deserves to be part of a trophy winning
side.
