Having declared his intention to leave Arsenal during the week, Robin Van Persie has been linked with a number of clubs including Manchester United.
The Dutch striker took to his personal website to question the direction the north London club were going, having failed to win a trophy since 2005.
The striker had his best goal scoring season last term with 37 in all competitions but his efforts amounted to little as Arsenal could only muster a 3rd place finish in the league.
The striker is hot property at the moment but one former United boss is less than impressed with Van Persie’s statement and, despite his goal scoring feats, would prefer if Sir Alex Ferguson steered well clear of the striker.
The Daily Express have quoted FA Cup winning manager Tommy Docherty as saying:
“What right as a player does van Persie have to say Arsenal is not heading in the right direction?
“He might be looking to move, but I don’t think United should touch him with a bargepole.’’
I am an Arsenal fan, but i have always admired what Manchester United have achieved. I have also, always liked Tommy Docherty and his opinions, and he is right. What player does ANY player have to question the ‘ direction’ of the club he plays for. If he don’t like it, then leave. I like Van Persie and hopes he stays but if he doesn’t want to, then either finish his contract and go on a free, or be sold and expect the club to try for the best deal. If he goes to Man City, i will not matter what he says, people, fans, will think its for money. If he goes to Man Utd, he will earn good money, but people will know he went to win things.After all Utd have a great history and City? well they have a wealthy owner, and won the league in the last minute of the season. Hardly what you can call, going to a ‘ club with a great history’.
good words from you / it is no co-incidence that from the so called United´s-enemy-clubs the only fans I can normally communicate in my pers. life are the gooners ones. The following words even won´t be popular among othe rUnited fans on here I guess & have only little to do with your post, but I ´ve been saying for ys now in the pub etc. to other United fans that if there are clubs worth some respect for their football & esp. the way the r doing it, then prob. gooners (& worse 🙂 – everton … – when you consider all their departures, they must be doing miracles to stay in the epl not to mention the top 1/2 of the table …). Hate the blue ulcers´ model, no matter which ulcers these are, whether The blue ulcers (the 3rd best team in Manchester) or the roubles down there …
again, good post from u
I wouldn´t be afraid about it, Tommy 🙂
The words of RVP are not very different from Wayne Rooney’s when the Red’s striker threatened to quit two years ago, before Sir Alex convinced him. The boss later made some ‘aggressive’ market appearance with the likes of Chicharito, Young & Phil Jones.
So, it might appear as disrespect to a (former) manager like Tommy Docherty, but it wouldn’t surprise Fergie. I’m sure the fans disappointed by Van Persie’s want-away move will welcome his view on the club’s spending-habits.
@Nebert, Wayne Rooney had not spent a significant part of eight seasons out injured and then repaid the unstinting loyalty and support of his manager by, make no mistake, a direct, unprovoked, and entirely inappropriate attack on his management policy. Moreover, do not presume that Arsenal supporters wish for Arsenal to go into unsustainable debt simply in order to compete with Arab oil play money and Russian money laundering (i.e. getting money away from Putin’s grasp). What would happen to the Mansour Project were there to be an Arab Spring in the UAE? Or to Chelsea should Abramovic suffer the same fate as Khodorkovsky? Even as an Arsenal supporter, I felt repulsed by the Glazers’ purchase of Man U by saddling the team with a disgusting amount of debt. Most Arsenal fans are deeply grateful for the way Arsenal is managed and for the fact that in all likelihood, Arsenal will still be a major football team with a proper stadium when our great-grandchildren become football supporters. For supporters of teams who have won it properly (and often), I don’t think winning the title would satisfy were it won with a team of hastily assembled mercenaries like at Mansour City.
I agree with everything you say but I have to know. You pay the highest prices to watch your football (ok in a fantastic stadium), you sell your best players every year (for the past 10 at least). Don’t spend that much on players coming in. You can see where your team needs strengthening and are owned by some very rich people. Does it not piss you off a little bit?
Yes it does piss me off but what pisses me off more is the players than come to any club and not just my team, and after some personal success , decide they know better than the manager. Using Man Utd as an example, who in their right mind could think that Mr Ferguson doesn’t know what he is doing. I admit that Arsenal have not delivered success for a good few years, but nothing is certain, and there are only 4 trophies available each season. As far as i know, no one has ever won all 4. Arsenals time will come and what better for a player to retire knowing he was an instrumental part in starting a new period of success at the team he says he loves. As well as earning more money in a few years that most people only dream off. One, just once , i wish an Arsenal player would put the adulation of Arsenal fans before money. As i said just now, he will still earn millions. I really did think Robin Van Persie was going to be that player. Either way i wish him well because i have loved watching him play for my team.
Who would have thunk it? Arsenal and United fans in harmony! Welcome to the Gooners reading this!