Another one on the **** list
By Joe Mardon
Reflections on RVP’s statement
On Tuesday, Arsène Wenger wrote the following in his Eurosport blog:
Another captain departs?
"We want to keep Robin van Persie at all costs, because we depend on him offensively. I have always supported him even in the hardest times, and I hope he will end his career at Arsenal."
Obviously riled by Arsène's words, Robin van Persie and his camp (including Darren Dein) replied in kind with two fingers, releasing a statement outlining a refusal to extend his contract, whilst publicly questioning the direction of our club.
"This is an update for the fans about my current situation." Note, the statement is for us, the fans. Not himself. The following statement by Robin van Persie will be of no benefit to Robin van Persie.
"I have kept quiet all this time out of respect and loyalty for the club and as agreed with Mr. Gazidis and Mr. Wenger, but since there is so much speculation in the media, I think it is fair for you guys to know what’s really going on at the moment."
"Respect". "Loyalty". "Fair".
"As announced earlier this year, I had a meeting with the Boss and Mr. Gazidis after the season. This was a meeting about the club’s future strategy and their policy. Financial terms or a contract have not been discussed, since that is not my priority at all." Not discussed? He wants us to believe that his team have not at any time, even wondered out loud, as to how much Arsenal would be willing to pay? That seems naive. Is that not what an agent is for?
"I personally have had a great season but my goal has been to win trophies with the team and to bring the club back to its glory days."
"I", "Personally", 'have been f***ing great, but my team mates? Those I captain? Not so good.'
"Out of my huge respect for Mr. Wenger, the players and the fans, I don’t want to go into any details."
"Huge respect" for Arsène, whose whole vision you are about to belittle, the players who you've already alluded to as being inferior, and the fans, whose club you are about to s**t on. Some respect.
"....but unfortunately in this meeting it has again become clear to me that we in many aspects disagree on the way Arsenal FC should move forward. I've thought long and hard about it, but I have decided not to extend my contract."
Sincere apologies, Robin. What players did you want Arsène to sign? Did you have a formation in mind? Let's play fantasy football (you're in charge of course). Who will you pick? You've got £100m. Let's see how much money you've got left to spend after you've paid yourself, the star of RvP FC.
I wonder, if we'd let Thierry Henry pick and chose the players in 2004, whether he'd have thought to sign a Dutch teenager with a temperament almost as questionable as his jeans?
"You guys, the fans, have of course the right to disagree with my view and decision and I will always respect your opinions." We do. You're on the **** list.
"I love the club and the fans, no matter what happens."
Stop now, Robin. The stench of bollocks is overwhelming.
Let me state that what Robin van Persie is saying might well be true, but this does not mean he is right to say it. Had Robin questioned the club’s direction having already left, there's no issue. "I had to leave Arsenal because...". He is the captain of Arsenal Football Club. He talks of respect, loyalty and fairness, before releasing words which fly in an opposite direction all together. Words that drive down any transfer fee, whilst belittling "the Boss" and his team mates.
I understand the cravings of a world-class 29-year-old footballer to win things. I understand his frustrations and disbelief in that happening at Arsenal, and serious questions have to be raised of the board and indeed the direction. Treading water until 2014 and sponsorship renewals? How long will Red & White Holdings leave it before passing comment? Darren has set it up nicely for Daddy and the Russian.
The romantic side of me, the side in which my morals reside, thinks that a player whom Arsenal nursed and remunerated through seven injury-ravaged years might offer more than one good year before f***ing off, but that's football. That's footballers.
Robin has removed my last remaining ounce of faith in footballers. F*** him. My own life and the priorities within it are changing fast. These stars go almost as quickly as they come. Sadly, the next star will mean less than the last.
All that will remain is the club and the fans, and our new home which will serve us well in time. We've lost bigger and better names, and Arsenal Football Club sails on with Arsène Wenger. Goodbye Robin. Mind that ankle won't you? It would be absolutely horrible for you to suffer any sort of injury the minute after City have paid up.
*Follow me on Twitter @TheArsenal_
5th July 2012
User Comment and Reaction
User comments on this article are now closed. If you want to continue the debate, why not do so on the Gooner Forum.
The Noise 7:39am 5th Jul 2012
He's simply highlighting what we already knew... Our joke of a football club has zero ambition and no true world class player, no matter how long they've been with us, can stand it anymore. You can sugarcoat it with 'disloyal scum' and 'mercenary' tags all you want, but all he's done is confirm everything us Gooners have been banging in about for years! So, that's 5 captains in 5 years who's walked out on us... TV5 will be next... Jacky then after... And I for one can't blame them! Until Kronke, Hill-Wood, Kronke & Wenger are gone, NOTHING will change! - Post No. 26150
Kjellus 7:45am 5th Jul 2012
Brilliant piece, probably what all Arsenal fans think at the moment. - Post No. 26151
Terry 7:50am 5th Jul 2012
Very funny i had to check to see if it was April 1st.Its great that our club sells its best players every year isnt it.Its great we are signing rubbish like Santos Squillaci Chamakh Park Mertesacker and Gervinho.Its great that the BIG clubs cherry pick our best players.Yes Arsenal football club is a big joke and the biggest joker is Kroenke - Post No. 26152
Archn3m3sis 7:56am 5th Jul 2012
What exactly did he disagree with Wenger over? Do you people have any idea? Players use their contracts to push for better signings at the club and a better structure (Arsenal needs all that - nothing astronomical though) and am guessing that was the source of the disagreement as it is clearly said that he disagreed with Arsene and Gazidis over "how the club was being run and the direction things were taking". Am guessing the captain was actually bargaining for something that would have eventually done the team alot of good and when that wasn't realised he opted out and "the Arsenal faithful" are here slagging him with insults and all sorts of names..pathetic. - Post No. 26153
Simon 7:57am 5th Jul 2012
Sorry but I though his statement questioning the direction of the club to be accurate. He should be commended for having the guts to say what we most of us are thinking. - Post No. 26154
John 8:00am 5th Jul 2012
Just for good order; Darren Dein is not Robin's agent, Sports Entertainment Group is (google them). They are also the agents for Vermaelen. Allegedly Dein has some involvement with van Persie but on the side of commercial deals. Who was behind van Persie's statement is anybody's guess. - Post No. 26155
mark from aylesbury 8:03am 5th Jul 2012
Problem is though Joe is that we keep on losing them and its the player holding the whip hand. I think Manu had a similar problem with Rooney but we lose them every season. It looks to me that we have a whiff of panic every close season and for that I blame the management, we do not appear to be particularly well run. Having said all that if wants to go he has done his time, injury could strike again for him. Sell up and get the most money possible. - Post No. 26156
Tony Keeble 8:05am 5th Jul 2012
Joe, that is the best piece I have seen on this site, the only one I have agreed with whole heartedly.His lack of respect and utter contempt for the way Arsenal and Arsene in particular have stood by him through some very tough times is staggering and depressing. What a shame he can't show the same loyalty in return. I do not want to hear how much he loves the club and the fans, I want the hypocrite to p*ss off and let us see what the new boys can do. - Post No. 26157
jj 8:05am 5th Jul 2012
Let's assume everything Van Persie says is a lie and that the club only speak the truth.What kind of fantasy world are you living in? How much truth have we heard from the manager or the board for the last few years? All they appear to do is spin the media and supporters.I feel sorry for people as blinkered and naive as you.But then again it's because of people like you that the club is able to continue with it's current,failed policy.You will say, but we finished third.We might as well have finished tenth because we are that far away from competing. - Post No. 26158
bob 8:09am 5th Jul 2012
Can we make Diaby captain? - Post No. 26160
Rickthegooner 8:14am 5th Jul 2012
Harsh !!!! Robin has spent 8 years at the club. I'm sure he didn't want to be injured so much. I think that its fair to say he has always done his best for us. He didn't quibble when he renewed last time. He was never one of our big earners. He just wants to move on. Any player that gives such a large chunk of their carrer to a club, surely cannot be described as disloyal. The timing and content of the statement may have a darker side, Darren Dien might be planning the boards downfall with the russian and his dad, who could blame him, the way the club treated David Dien. Good luck Robin. No real hard feelings here, nobodies IS bigger than the club. I'm just left with a sinking feeling, that the lack of ambition of our Monopoly playing board, is creating a gap to leading clubs, that may be too large to close. - Post No. 26161
Robin Van Persie 8:15am 5th Jul 2012
This is a horribly bitter sounding article. Maybe if you won some trophies, he would want to stay. Van Persie has given you great service, now he doesn't want to renew his contract. Get over it. - Post No. 26162
CYgoon 8:16am 5th Jul 2012
Thumbs up man! Well said... - Post No. 26163
Chris 8:19am 5th Jul 2012
Spot on mate. Can't believe he would put out a statement like this whilst still at the club. He has a short memory and has definitely driven down his transfer fee. I lost all respect for him and hope we get rid quickly to a foreign club. - Post No. 26164
Fozzy's mate 8:20am 5th Jul 2012
Joe - one thing that I strongly endorse from this piece is your statement about the club remaining. In many ways I feel the same way as you to re the RVP statement. But where we disagree is who is to blame. The statement by OGL you start with is another example of the cynical smoke and mirrors tactic used by the club. In his appearance before the fans pre-euros, mr self sustainable said that a decision had been reached but both parties had agreed not to say anything until post euros. You can't believe that this decision has surprised Wenger? The inevitable has happened as a result of the appalling lack of ambition to do anything other than trouser the champions league dough over the last 5 years. We are still shopping at the same prices we were 10 years ago where all our rivals and watch spurs join the party are looking at players way above the quality of ours. I am with you in that people move on but the club and fans remain. But those I want to move on the sickly regime at the helm of the club that have been constantly guilty of arrogance and complacency at a stunning level. - Post No. 26165
Jumpers 8:21am 5th Jul 2012
Interesting analysis Joe and whilst you make some valid points you miss the elephant on the room. Sure RvP out of "respect" should have kept his powder dry until after his now inevitable transfer, but out of "love" or "passion" he simply couldn't. Let's not forget this is 4th club captain in succession lost for similar reasons. All 4 loved the club and fans, all 4 craved success for Arsenal I no more like the attitude of rich arrogant stupid and over powerful players we have these days than you but let's be honest here none of the 4 who decided to leave Arsenal behind are in that mould! Robin has shown passion and honesty he clearly wanted to stay he clearly wanted success with The Arsenal but realised odds were against. I agree players are the staff and should perhaps behave accordingly but equally they are human. Robin has a right to express his views and although I am gutted that it has turned out like this I am not surprised. The magagement are in charge but deserve to be questioned when their direction and strategy is not providing what we the fans crave. So wake up there's an elephant in the room and you've missed it. It's called the arsenal management and instead of criticising a player for his passionate view perhaps think about where they are taking us. IG was clearly not too bothered when he jumped on a plane for ANOTHER holiday. It is us the fans who hold the key but will we show passion and make our feelings know or just sit back and bitch about some ex players - Post No. 26167
don froth 8:24am 5th Jul 2012
He is'nt going to get be any better than he was last season and who is to say he won't break down again, move on Wally aswell! - Post No. 26168
Jack 8:24am 5th Jul 2012
Robin does have the right to say it because what he's saying is right. - Post No. 26169
Dan h 8:25am 5th Jul 2012
The days of loyalty are long gone i sense your anger & frustration.It is partly due to money we can't & won't match what others can.The lack of ambition also plays a part sadly you could see it coming.The modern agent & he himself would not even factor in his injury record his agent would just point out without his goals last year we wouldn't have made the CL & that's worth 30m+.Welcome to the world of the modern player it reflect's todays modern society.The fact is i really can't see us keeping him for the final year of his deal poor injury record also states will the player himself be willing to risk the pot of gold that lies ahead?Or will we let an asset go for free what does the past tell you?The worst part of all looks like we have spent the money from any sale already...groundhog day begins again.Still the club have got away with another year of ST renewals on false promises IG sure was right about 'exciting transfer news' wasn't he. - Post No. 26170
UpTheARSEnal 8:28am 5th Jul 2012
We have basically paid him countless millions for one season. For 7 years all we were doing was paying him to sit on his ass crying over a booboo on his leg. F*** him, any other manager or set of supporters would have tossed him out with the trash after 2 years injured, let alone 7. Who the hell does he think he is???? Basically spat in the face of Arsene, us and everyone else involved with the club. - Post No. 26171
yinka 8:34am 5th Jul 2012
As much as I love VP I can't help hiding my disappointment at this,I wish him well wherever he goes but I also wish and pray he breaks that glass ankle of his as soon as he signs for another club or worse still breaks it during pre-season training,let's see if he'l sign an extension then... - Post No. 26172
Pat 8:35am 5th Jul 2012
Its been like you who have let a great club like Arsenal sink. RvP has a point. 8yars without a trophy and we look set to go on. No proper competition for positions in the club. As a result, mediocrity has set it. Third place is not good enough year in and year out. Silent Stan has presided over the downfall of this great club. Continue insulting people like RvP who tell it like it is and lets see where that gets us. A club has to be able to keep its best players!!! This is actually a useless piece of writing! - Post No. 26173
Tony Evans 8:35am 5th Jul 2012
Sorry Joe - I don't agree with your slating of RVP and I think you need to redirect your comments to Wenger, Gazedis, Kronke and all the rest of them that clearly see Arsenal as nothing but a cash cow or a playing to indulge in fantasy football where defence is a dirty word. Good luck to RVP and I only wish he had gone public on what he said to Gazedis and Wenger. I am sure he has had about as much bullsh*t as he could stand from the pair of them, I know I have and he has quite rightly made the decision to join a club that might be going somewhere or at least are trying to. Shame on you Arsenal. - Post No. 26174
Dan 8:35am 5th Jul 2012
Sums it all up nicely. Shame player has no loyalty to a club that served him so well. - Post No. 26175
RJ 8:36am 5th Jul 2012
Here F***ing here. Thanks Robin, but on your way. - Post No. 26176
super georgegraham 8:48am 5th Jul 2012
I think you have to accept Van Persie on this situation. Arsenal are buying players that are not setting the world on fire. Last great player is now not signing a new contract. Fans have been annoyed with the team for years. Looks like the players are as well. - Post No. 26179
steve 8:50am 5th Jul 2012
great article, my thoughts exactly. I remember a truly great dutch superstar who rather than leave, changed the mind set of the whole team and drove us on to be unbeatable...his name was Bergkamp. RVP is a pale imitation of the true dutch master. - Post No. 26180
emma 9:00am 5th Jul 2012
Though RVP is so full of himself but Wenger and AFC board members should have the largest chunk of blame. All these years fans and players have been shouting begging wenger and the board to invest significantly in the squad but they felt making AFC a nursery football academy for clubs like Man c and Berce and lining their pockets fits perfectly well in their goals.Count your losses Wenger, you and the board have your philosophy that is older than the dinosaur, very much outmoded and derisory. Who next should follow, Walcot, Verm, OX,Song,your goal keeper or who? They know the next to follow suit. Nasri should be laughing now because it is now very clear that he took a very wise decision to leave. - Post No. 26181
Yanto 9:04am 5th Jul 2012
I don't know why some people are surprised at his departure !! The moment he became Captain - he was on his way out, it has now become an Arsene tradition - 'Make Em Captain Then Sell Em' (Mon Dieu)....or as I recently read...Arsene is a HUGE Spinal Tap fan...their drummers join then spontaneously combust....our captains are sold before said combustion occurs. - Post No. 26182
chris dee 9:09am 5th Jul 2012
Joe you got it in one. 'Whatever happens I will still love the club and the fans'. Total bollocks. Let me tell you Robin 'whatever happens I will always remember you as an ungrateful son of a bitch who was quite happy for Arsenal to pay your huge wages while you spent half of your career on the treatment table but after one good season all that is forgotten'. But funnily enough with all the usual piss taking and joy about this situation by some anti Arsenal tossers like Adrian Durham and Darren Gough from Talk Trash I find myself becoming more and more fanatic about the club . I don't mind Arsenal fans critisising and questoning the manager,the board etc but when 'outsiders' go over the top I will defend the club in any circumstance. - Post No. 26183
Bobby 9:11am 5th Jul 2012
By putting out a statement Van Persie has done the fans a favour.It puts Wenger and Gazidis under pressure and they can't use the we thought he was staying fudge that we had last year.Personally I'm gutted he's not signing...Would the last world class player leaving please turn out the lights. - Post No. 26184
Kenny 9:13am 5th Jul 2012
Blame Vieira blame Henry blame Flamini blame Cesc blame Clichy blame Nasri and blame RVP who all had ambition but dont ever blame Kroenke Wenger or Gazidis.This article is AKB at there very worst - Post No. 26185
Dick van Der Klaaptrap 9:17am 5th Jul 2012
Hi Guysh! Welcome to my crazshy Blog! Now you all know how mucsh I reshpect my bank manager and the speshial interesht I pay to my designer wardrobe and Rolls Roysh carsh. I have alsho formed a very speshial relationship with my physiotherapisht and club Doctorsh during those long yearsh on my personal treatment table. So it painsh me to shay that my Tax avoidensh advisersh have told me it would be extremely benefishial all round (although on reflectshion probably better for yoursh truly) if I reconshider my (normally prone) position at thish club. I have had shome very great memories here – shome of which when I was actually playing – but the promish of lots more cash from Mercenary City FC makes me think that the MCFC fans love me more! So Long and besht wishes! - Post No. 26186
Ario 9:22am 5th Jul 2012
Isn’t it Ironic, RvP wants the club to start spunking £50m a season on players, if they did that then he’d still be an immature nobody on the left wing at Feyenoord. - Post No. 26187
BIg Dave 9:23am 5th Jul 2012
When Henry, Viera and Fabregas left, there was a genuine rapport between the fans, player, and manager. Their protestations of loyalty were clearly genuine – they loved playing for Arsenal but wanted to move on, and it was a wrench for them to leave. It’s irritating when RVP starts making all the same noises when no-one really feels that way about him at THOF. If he had had more than one good injury free season, it might be different. But this looks like what it is: financial opportunism. There’s no love lost because there was no love there in the first place. If he won’t sign a new contract, Arsenal should sell him now. - Post No. 26188
Dominick 9:24am 5th Jul 2012
Fantastic piece, & totally agree with the comment made by "The Noise" with the current hierarchy in place this is how its going to be,i expected more more RVP but with his best mate moving to Barca last year & winning cups & Nasri won the league albeit just , i dont blame him. i just hope Podolski & Giroud hit the ground running & we get some decent defenders & another hard nut midfielder in or its another tough season ahead. - Post No. 26189
under acheiver 9:25am 5th Jul 2012
Whats the worry? We have the Ox and Wilshire to develop and sell on for good profits, plus we can rely on OGL to keep us in the top 4 for the extra dosh. So as I see it big profits should keep rolling in. Am I missing something? - Post No. 26191
Wenger out NOW 9:39am 5th Jul 2012
and Arsenal Football Club sails on with Arsène Wenger.........You're bloody kidding me, we are sinking with this old deluded fool..... - Post No. 26194
Peter Wain 9:40am 5th Jul 2012
You cannot blame RVP for wanting to maximise his earnings and go to a club who atcually competes to win things. Arsenal simply do not compete to win any trophy except that of fourth place in the premiership. Whilst other clubs invest in the first team squad with top quality additions we have had to make do with loan signings and free transfers. Of course RVP is annoyed at this and it has to change. May be Porborski and Giroud will be good buys but on the evidence of recent purchases this is extremely unlikely. We have a very unbalanced first team squad with at least ten players who are not fit to wear the shirt and who we cannot play. This must be dealt with this year even if we pay off their contracts. We have no creative mid field players who are fit and no likely hood of us buying even one. We have no reliable left full back or centre half which is why we continue to ship goals at an alarming rate. Finally we have the same situation with Walcott and he must be likely to do the same as RVP. All of which is down to the worst kind of management. Since Falamni we have learnt nothing and no doubt we will be subject to the same panic buying on the last day of August this year. I do not blame RVP for his actions as I am fed up to the back teeth with total mismanagement of our club since the yank got involved. Until he goes and takes that snake oiled chief executive(who seems to have in a degree in incompetence) with him we will not be buying top quality players or competing to win any trophy. Get the Yank out now. - Post No. 26195
Dave 9:50am 5th Jul 2012
He wanted more money and he will get it at City. It is about his pay packet and not the direction of our great football club. He does not deserve our respect. He is no better than Nasri and Gooners should let him know this. - Post No. 26196
MarkH 9:52am 5th Jul 2012
Fine, it is now official. So sell him within the next two weeks to who ever wants him. Tell him than unless the deal is done and finished within that time he can wait till next year.Take the armband off him.Spend the money(and some of the spare cash) on replacements and move on. There is little guarantee that he will last two whole seasons anyway. - Post No. 26197
bunch 9:55am 5th Jul 2012
I understand your reaction Joe and you make some good points, but I'm going to take Robin's statement at face value. I think he saw the damage the speculation over Cesc and Na$ri did last summer and to our early campaign so he has come clean early. He won't be with us come August 31 so the manager, players and fans should start planning on that basis, and the signings of Podolski and Giroud seem to show Wenger already has been. There's no loyalty in football anymore apart from on the terraces. - Post No. 26198
Bard 9:59am 5th Jul 2012
Great piece joe. RVP is just a puppet, spinning a load of bull**** to bump up his next contract. If he had any class he'd keep quiet until he leaves. All this stuff is to force the clubs hand. He could have been an Arsenal legend surely worth all the money he'll try to get out of city. Yes there is a lot wrong with Arsenal but his website statement is below the belt. My view is he's been badly advised. No class whatsoever. - Post No. 26199
Ron 10:02am 5th Jul 2012
Hes given 8 years. Hes been decent. Quite loyal for a foreign player though the injuries have maybe kept him at Arsenal in reality. Hes going and i reckon Arsenal are lucky he is going. Get top price while we can. Hes not a 24 year old Ronaldo type player whos leaving for bigger and greater. Hes nearly 30 and had his best season. Arsenal will survive him going no problem.Delaying a sale will mean he ll go for peanuts later on. Cash in while Man City are still in mental mode or whoever else has more cash than sense. - Post No. 26200
AFCIC 10:23am 5th Jul 2012
You're an idiot mate. Its stupid attitudes like yours that reinforce to Wenger, Kronke and Hill-Wood alike that they are doing the right thing. Our once great club is now nothing more than a stepping stone to the elite clubs in europe. Expect to see the likes of Jack, The Ox and Jon Toral all move on in the future but don't expect to see any real reinvestment in the team or any silverware. Arsenal is a lie, the supporters have been sold a lie. Our club has no ambition and it just isn't good enough. - Post No. 26203
Graham Simons 10:24am 5th Jul 2012
One great season since 2004 is NOT great service! Arsene is right - he stood by him when the guy was injured - even Nicolas Anelka gave us more a higher number of effective seasons in an Arsenal shirt. He's spent years on the treatment table, has one outstanding season and he thinks he'll be welcomed back as an Arsenal legend. Well I have news for RVP - just like Cesc you will NEVER be an Arsenal legend because you're contribution to actually winning anything is the square root of diddly squat. - Post No. 26204
AFCasap 10:28am 5th Jul 2012
rvp's goalfeat last season were personally responsilbe for 25pts on the league table and cl again.....he looks around and sees a bunch of average to ****e players who, because of wengers "wage structure" are earning close to what he is, but doing f all to deserve it, (wally wants a pay rise off of rvps success)....plus he knows he will never ever win anything in this setup - Post No. 26206
AugustusCaesar 10:37am 5th Jul 2012
I completely resent this implication that Van Persie is now bigger and better than the club and all those around him let him down and it's their fault that we didn't win any trophies. Would we have won one of this elusive trophies had Van Persie stayed fit for longer than he did? It's hypothetical but very possibly. The blog on The Guardian site had me seething. 'Van Persie runs out of patience'. The irony! Talk about a short memory. I'm really disappointed because he's a terrific player but, who knows, spend the money wisely and we may become a better 'team' as a result. - Post No. 26207
irish gooner 10:44am 5th Jul 2012
i tink this statement is a ploy to push the management into givin him what he wants, by going public with this statment he has sent the fans into up roar, instead of callin for robin's head we should be calling for gazidis' head maybe even a complete boycot of arsenal similar to leeds fans if robin does leave, the end of the statement As soon as Mr. Gazidis is back from his 2-week holiday in America further meetings will follow and I will update you if and when there are more developments." appears to say that robin is willing to talk still about his contract hopein for change on the back of the public outrage, lets hope i'm right and it works - Post No. 26209
ed enough.... 10:49am 5th Jul 2012
1 Decent season in 8 does not a great player make!!! Jog on you muppet...Hope you do your ankle first game out for Citeh! - Post No. 26210
Awin- United fan 10:51am 5th Jul 2012
I agree. Brilliant piece. Robin has to read it, he *might* change his mind. - Post No. 26211
John Gooner 11:03am 5th Jul 2012
Gazidis and Kroenke are the cancer killing Arsenal FC. It's a good job (for Gazidis) that he's paid to make money and not win trophies or retain talent. Look at his record since he replaced Dein... Flamini gone, Hleb gone, Adebayor gone, Nasri gone, Fabregas gone, Eduardo gone, Gallas gone, Toure gone, Clichy gone, RVP as good as. Let's not forget the countless players who've slipped through the net thanks to our frugal, reticent and pusilanimous transfer approach. I call on all gooners to close their wallets to Arsenal FC (Kroenke Ltd) until real change is realised. - Post No. 26212
Mike 11:04am 5th Jul 2012
Sell him quickly at an inflated price before he ends up on the injured list - Post No. 26213
GoonerRon 11:17am 5th Jul 2012
You've summed up how I'm feeling to be honest. Ultimately he is an employee of Arsenal Football Club and his statement has brought the club into disrepute. There is no way back from this for him, I'd fine him as much as I could for releasing the statement and put him on the transfer list for offers over £25m. - Post No. 26214
Theopants Superstar 11:26am 5th Jul 2012
Although RVP's statement should heap the pressure on Wenger and the Board, unfortunately there are still too many Arsene fans who refuse to accept the reality of what we've become and are prepared to believe anything and everything that comes out of the manager's and the club's mouths. Witness the bile being directed at RVP at the moment and it's all too similar to that thrown at the likes of Vieira; Henry and Cesc when they left for the same reasons. Until gooner's realise that the problem is with the Board and manager, we'll continue to have suffer seeing all our best players leave, whilst ludicrously watching the likes of Djourou, Diaby and Song being rewarded for their 'loyalty' with new contracts!! Sure be angry and upset that RVP is leaving, but direct your ire at the people with the real responsibility for it. - Post No. 26215
Alexthegooner 11:27am 5th Jul 2012
I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment of your article. The arrogant tenor of rvp statement is mindboggling. However this will be the 6th captain to jump ship in the past 7 years. What other club let alone major club has such a telling statistic? On a management level this is a damning verdict on the folly of handing the armband to your 'star' player in order to shackle him to the cause. It also reveals the extent of the leadership problem within the squad. Frank Mclintock and Tony Adams were not our best players. Nevertheless they were leaders; reliable and dependable without fuss and this garnered respect from everyone around them.Success flourishes on such firm foundations. What we have now is a foundation of crumbling sand. It's no accident our team look so helpless in the face of adversity on the pitch. On a wider scale the abdication of our captains shows a deep malaise within the club. There's no point in keeping management stability if we are constantly re-grouping our players. We never replace the players who leave with the same quality so each departure dilutes the quality of the squad. Eventually the manager goes and leaves a weaker and rudderless squad. I'm not that concerned about rvp going. However I am concerned about the way we will react. All top clubs lose star players. Man u lost Ronaldo and won the league. Can we for once go and spend 25m on a quality replacement and show the fans and the football world we are not just a selling club.And the new captain? I would suggest Vermalen but the rumours have already begun about his leap. How about Koscielny? He has a quiet dependability which may just catch on. Cant wait for august and I mean that. I still love this club no matter what happens. - Post No. 26216
Michael Preston 11:42am 5th Jul 2012
Two words sum up vP's statement - "patronizing" and "disingenuous". Good article, Joe. - Post No. 26217
Steve 11:50am 5th Jul 2012
I cant stand the way our club is being run.Kroenke Gazidis and Wenger are all frauds.Any other manager would have walked after his best players left every summer but Wenger wont thats why he is paid £7m a year when he does nothing to deserve it.But they all get away with it because Arsenal fans are mugs.Just wait till the 1st game of the season when the sheep start singing "one Arsene Wenger".At the end of the day its us the fans who are to blame,they sit on their arses and keep quiet about the way Kroenke is killing our club.Kroenke sits in his office in Denver laughing his head off at us.Joe you are the type of Arsenal fan Kroenke loves.Now hurry up and buy the new shirt - Post No. 26218
Moscow Gooner 11:53am 5th Jul 2012
This should be a rallying call yfor civil war at the Arsenal. We need to get rid of the cretinous Frenchman and his Yank acolytes - and the entire AKB brigade - before they destroy what s left of Chapman s legacy. We need direct action against the club and the board - and against the Yank s other sporting franchises. It s us versus the AKB s - the winner takes all. . - Post No. 26219
Reg 11:54am 5th Jul 2012
We again allow our top players to go into the last 12 months of their contract and give them the whip hand! Awful management again and surprise, surprise they don't learn! If they don't sign the contract offered with 24 months left to run, sell them then when we still have some control over proceedings. We'll be left to take the money Man City offer in August now. Groundhog Day! - Post No. 26220
TK 12:14pm 5th Jul 2012
im siding with RVP on this one. It seems RVP prob went in and asked what signings/aims the club had, and they closed rank and said they'd never give into teh demands of one player. Thats fair enough but RVP isnt the first to walk after quesioning the clubs ambition. Cole, Vieira, Henry etc. have all gone after realising the long term goals of the club. And to say he has had one good season is a little harsh. He cant help being injured and single handedly won us 3rd place last year. - Post No. 26221
JER 12:17pm 5th Jul 2012
I really really hate football. - Post No. 26223
mkherd89 12:22pm 5th Jul 2012
well said mate - Post No. 26224
Graham 12:29pm 5th Jul 2012
So who Joe is to blame for 7 trophyless seasons? Will the remain AKB's please turn the lights off in the E******.I remember the legend that is Liam Brady leaving the club in 1980 because the club could not fulfil his ambitions.And no one blamed him for leaving the same with Cesc.Great players can only stay at a club which lacks leadership and ambition for so long.I dont blame RVP i blame the board and Wenger.Buying cheap rubbish from France will never win us anything.Wenger Kroenke and Gazidis should be driven out of the club by fan power.Top 4 next season not a hope in hells chance.Without RVP this season we wouldnt have finished top 8 - Post No. 26225
Gary Gooner 12:32pm 5th Jul 2012
I along with a lot of others am a bit more disappointed with Robin than some of the other aforementioned characters including Nasri and Adebayor as we have only really seen him for one season at his peak and injury free. I feel he could have bucked the trend and stayed to help us fight for trophies the right way (without spending ludicrous amounts of money) as he knows full well that we can never compete with the likes of Citeh and Chelski. I think the problem with us supporters accepting this is that we see all of our players like ourselves, loving the club through thick and thin, supporting them from childhood years but invariably this is never the case. Unfortunately i believe that the days of players like TA are gone, heres hoping that Jack comes back fully fit and goes on to become an all time Arsenal great. I live in hope. We Will Fight On COYG! - Post No. 26227
Bob 12:34pm 5th Jul 2012
Pure, romantic twaddle, Joe...Robin owes us nothing, he is a world-class professional who as you recognise has 3-4 years left at the top of his game to win things. Whatever his motives in issuing such a frank statement, and none of us knows them, as someone who yearns for real change in the way Arsenal operates in the modern era I find them music to my ears. I do not want the status quo to carry on serenely unchallenged, and Robin (after 9 years at the club) is entitled to be listened to. Arsenal 'sails on with Arsene Wenger'? In the sense that the Titanic sailed on under Captain Smith, you are right... - Post No. 26228
Chrisy boy 12:34pm 5th Jul 2012
Neither RVP or the club have come out smelling of roses in the last 24 hours which sums up our club in the last few seasons,, I'm scratching my head trying to find the right way forward for Arsenal, what does seem sure is that most of us want Kronke and Gazedis out of the club. Another pre season another mess, very sad state of affairs - Post No. 26229
JER 12:41pm 5th Jul 2012
There's something not right about this. If RVP made his feelings clear to AW and Gaz during their meeting, why have the club consistently said they expect RVP to stay? The cynic in me says so it doesn't affect season ticket renewals. But what if he didn't? Has he been got at since this meeting? Is this just a way of manipulating a lucrative transfer? And why did he say Gazidis was on holiday now when the club deny this. It seems to me there is a lot more to be revealed yet so I don't think it's right to start slagging off the player, the manager or the club. - Post No. 26232
billthered 12:50pm 5th Jul 2012
Whilst I and no doubt every gooner out there is disappointed at RVP's statement there seems a whole lot of truth in what he says.We are the idiots who pay through the nose with the most expensive tickets on the planet who just cant get up and go elsewhere we are stuck with the club we love whoever plays for us good or bad.If for arguments sake Denilson,Vela or Fabianski had said this we would not have taken any notice whatsoever but the captain says it and we should all take notice.If we as season ticket holders en mass failed to renew our tickets do you not think the club would have taken some steps to resolve the issue but a player says it and we all argue amongst ourselves about the rights and wrongs of it all and take sides but the real issue is where are we going and please lets not hide behind financial fair play because we all know that will never get off the ground. - Post No. 26233
Joe S. 12:52pm 5th Jul 2012
No Podolski and Giroud are not the future of Arsenal jootball club but stop gap players to fill holes. Van Persie has a right to demand better. He was unimpressed at the beginning of last season and has obviosly seen enough to see that nothing good is brewing. What a joke. So much or Arsenal"s future is now burdened on an unproved youngster who may also be a crock. - Post No. 26234
Wenger must go now 12:54pm 5th Jul 2012
Without RVP last season we would have finished outside the top 6.Its as simple as that.We have an awful defence 49 goals conceded a terrible DM in Song.It was down to RVP nothing else that we finished 3rd nothing to do with our clueless manager.The quality of signings last summer were a joke.And that was the final straw.Knowing Wenger he will probably make Song the captain next season.Articles like this make me wonder what kind of supporters we have.Like sheep believing any old bull coming from Wenger and the board - Post No. 26235
mkherd89 12:55pm 5th Jul 2012
Kroenke out end off - Post No. 26236
CT Gooner 12:56pm 5th Jul 2012
I understand many people are upset at RvPs decision, but unfortunately it was inevitable. The squad quality has steadily declined over the last 7+ seasons, and counter to the article a couple of days back, nothing has been done to improve it this summer. And no, Giraud and Podolsky are not better than RvP! What really upsets me though is the lack of honesty coming from the club. They knew what was happening in may, but didn't want the news coming out before the STs were renewed. So think what you will about RvP, but he's not been robbing you blind.... - Post No. 26237
Theo Jensen 13:00pm 5th Jul 2012
OH MY GODDD!!! Look at Usmanov's letter to the board! I think the revolution maybe coming soon, comrades!! - Post No. 26238
James M 13:05pm 5th Jul 2012
@Reg spot on rank bad management again by the club.Letting a players contract go into the last year is gross negligence.How many more times is it going to happen? And why have the fans let Kroenke off the hook so lightly.Fisman Hill-wood and Bracewell-Smith have blood on their hands.The blood of Arsenal football club.Only Usmanov and David Dein can save us - Post No. 26239
Mr B 13:09pm 5th Jul 2012
So Robin, when are you leaving the Dutch team that don't win trophies? - Post No. 26240
Skooner 13:10pm 5th Jul 2012
Absolutely delighted by RVP's statement. He has stated exactly what is wrong with the club at the moment. If he is going to leave then whatever he says and whenever he says it some AFC fans will criticise. AFC need to cut out this small club mentality and show some real ambition by paying players what they are worth, being ruthless with the ones that aren't good enough and using their considerable funds much more effectively than they are doing. I wish RVP luck where ever he ends up, and frankly I'm grateful to him for saying what he said, even if he actually has a **** agenda. People used to say if you get rid of Wenger, you lose all our players as well. Sounds like a good deal to me as there is hardly anyone left I am bothered about keeping! Let's just start from scratch, it will be more fun than watching the same cycle year after year. - Post No. 26241
Treble Double 13:39pm 5th Jul 2012
Very harsh article tinged with quite alot of b*ll*cks. We all know what is going on at our club and the agenda has moved from winning trophies to making money. RVP has one contract left in him and he wants to win trophies. I hate the fact that he is going & I really wish he hadn't announced it like he did but slagging him off is bitter & pointless. If we were all lucky enough to play for The Arsenal we would all be one club players, but why should we expect RVP to be like us? All he wants is what we want, a team capable of winning trophies or at least realistically having a chance of winning trophies. I just hope he goes abroad but because we will want to cash in on him he will be off to Manchester. Time for change at AFC! The trouble is the board are happy with AW because he gets us into CL every season and the pot of gold that brings. Soon we will be debt free which will mean even more profits for those who really couldn't give a sh*t about our club. I would love to know how AW really feels about how the club has changed since he joined but I guess if he was that p*ssed off with things he would have left by now. I want my Arsenal back!!! - Post No. 26243
martin wengrow 13:40pm 5th Jul 2012
Great article. Could it be that Darren Dein scripted RVP's statement, and that David Dein scripted Usmanovs' ? - Post No. 26244
tpm 13:40pm 5th Jul 2012
what a bunch of moronic fans we have. no wonder we are doing so well. as predicted, akbs shift emphasis completley from saying he will stay to simply blaming rvp for telling it like it is and weanting to go because of it. o how it must hurt u to hear it from someone on the inside who actually knows the lack of ambition and direction at this club. nothing will chnage until manager and board are removed. - Post No. 26245
Carlos 13:48pm 5th Jul 2012
We have to get over this and strengthen the squad with the proceeds. In addition there are concerns over Song, Walcott and even Vermaelen. These need to be addressed. Either they sign extensions, or they are sold. Fans have had enough of this close season ****ing about. My concern is that the replacements have already been signed and that the club hierarchy were left in no doubt of our captain's intentions when they met at the end of the season, if not before. why else would we have been so decisive in the transfer market so early? - Post No. 26246
Nick 13:50pm 5th Jul 2012
Completely agree with you! I have lost the last bit of faith I have in footballers. There's no such thing as loyalty, faith and pride anymore once the Russian's and Saudi's started buying up clubs like their own personal playthings in an attempt to measure the size of their manhood against one another. The careless spending and prices being driven up on players has shifted the game into a much more businesslike environment. In short, I miss the good ole' days. I also highly disagree with the manner in which these statements were released by RVP (our Captain). If you want to leave then fine. Wait until a contract and terms with whatever club you are going to (let me guess, it rhymes with Fanchester Spitty) have been finalized before opening your mouth. All your comments have done have served to piss off the entire Arsenal fanbase & alert any interested clubs (with hugely deep pockets) that you want out. This gives Arsenal (who you deeply respect, love, etc)no negotiating power in your transfer. You've got a year left before a free where we'd make no money. Any interested clubs will now be adopting our "take our piddly offer or we'll buy him next season and you get nothing" attitude. In short, thanks for nothing. 1 great season in which you stayed healthy and 7 seasons we all wondered "what if". Out of respect for your achievements, you and City deserve one another. I will no longer cheer for you if you move within the premier league. If you have the class to at least move to another league and not one of our most hated rivals due to their sopping up all Arsenal's most talented players (except Cesc) then I will have a little respect left for you as you've chosen to truly leave Arsenal for greener pastures and not greener bank accounts. - Post No. 26247
Any Old Iron 13:55pm 5th Jul 2012
Alisher Usmanov has finally gone public. The difference in approach to the ambitions of AFC between the current masters and Red & White is there for all to see. My gut feeling though is Wegner is in on it also, and is a willing participant. Penny pinching is his forte, and he would not tolerate interference from anyone. Now it begins. Long live Arsenal FC. - Post No. 26248
Jack Humble 13:56pm 5th Jul 2012
Few points - RVP is a great striker but what in the way of business acumen does he have to tell us how the club should be run Is it entirely the direction of the club or the 250K plus per week he'll receive that's the nub of his disagreement? And finally Robin - if you had a business, would you spend 114 per cent of your net income on wages, as your new employers currently do? - Post No. 26249
ATID 13:57pm 5th Jul 2012
I am not sure why you are quite so upset. RVP has wasted his best years at a Club that has not ambition and has sold out to the money men. If he has had enough then fair enough. We will enjoy success again but not with the current owners or manager. The only question is how long we will have to wait. Next season has already started. Badly. - Post No. 26250
goonersid 13:58pm 5th Jul 2012
The stench of bollocks as you put it has been there for a long time, and it's been emanating from Wenger not rvp. Wenger's latest statement about keeping hold of rvp, a typical example, an attempt to have the fans believe that talks with rvp are ongoing. When in fact they are damn well they were dead in the water. So thankyou Robin for blowing the lid off this latest Wenger deception. Wenger now, cant wait until August then tell us it's too late to find a replacement. - Post No. 26251
GoonerGoal! 14:00pm 5th Jul 2012
I am happy to say that I too have absolutely no respect and utter contempt for the way Wenger, Kroenke and Gazidis, are currently running Arsenal Football Club, and, I am delighted that RVP has come out and said what those of us who refuse to wear blinkers already knew. I fully expected the supporters of the triumvirate to turn their wrath on the whistle-blower who has emerged to tell the truth about the wretched direction of the club. Personally, I hope that RVP’s statement may just be the catalyst to set a ball rolling that will not stop until Wenger, Kroenke, and Gazidis are gone from Arsenal forever. Unfortunately, that will probably be sometime after Vermaelen, Wilshire, Szczęsny, and perhaps even Oxlade-Chamberlain, have followed him to a club that values trophies over profit. Who’ll be the first? Just follow the Captain’s armband… - Post No. 26252
tom 14:04pm 5th Jul 2012
There's a food chain and arsenal are not top of it. We are above Everton so we signed Arteta but we are not the top 10 or so in Europe so our players move on to the money and glory of City, Barcelona etc. Makes you wonder what is the point of the highest ticket prices in Europe? Oh yeah we're still paying squillaci, denilson, chamakh.... - Post No. 26253
Highbury Boy 14:18pm 5th Jul 2012
It's a very sad day when our only true international class player decides to follow the now well trod path of former captains and past best players. I have supported the club for 60 years and although I remember being upset in losing Brady and Stapleton in the early 80s it is only under Wenger that we have regularly sold our best players. And it doesn't have to be. If Wenger was more ruthless in getting rid of the non performers and didn't reward the dross with long term contracts on high wages he would be able to pay the true stars like VP the wage his form merits. Making a profit and keeping the franchise alive by getting a CL place are the key objectives for Wenger;winning something doesn't come into it. - Post No. 26255
RJ 14:35pm 5th Jul 2012
@Skooner - you really need to stop watching the team and give up football - I have read some self pitying comments on this site, but to say there is noone you are bothered about keeping - just get a grip. - Post No. 26258
Angry & Frustrated 15:05pm 5th Jul 2012
I find it staggering at how many comments on here are anti RVP. Have any of you ever heard the expression - don't shoot the messenger? It is astonishing that so many of you are taking Wenger, Gazidis & Kroenke as the innocent party in all of this. Wake up and smell the coffee, can you not see we are all being ripped off by those three. There is nothing wrong in being angry & frustrated, but direct your bile at the people who have caused this situation to materialise in the first place. Be thankful that finally we have someone prepared to give us an incite at the total lack of ambition at the club (which we knew anyway) rather than reading yet another bland pr statement in one months time telling us exactly the same news we learnt about yesterday but put to us in a positive light (spin). Remember those three knew about RVP's decision back in May, but it was them that wanted it kept hush hush to enable them to get your money in first prior to telling you what you now know. If you can't see what's starring you in the face that the club have shafted you once again (Fabregas & Nasri), then quite frankly there is no hope left at Arsenal. Those three will simply think - well we got away even with that and we were not even in control of the agenda. I suggest we increase season ticket prices by a further 10% because these people appear to be prepared to swallow anything, amazing good fortune heh! Now how much do you think we will be able to get for the Ox & Wilshere next year after we have received all the season ticket money first of course!!! - Post No. 26260
Last Outlaw 15:17pm 5th Jul 2012
You people are nothing but ungratefullm RvP became our voice and said what no biody else had the guts to say, he was the one man to stand up to Stan Kroenke and Gazidis and the rest of them corporate jackasses and you righteous faithfull jerks thank him like that...good on you - Post No. 26262
NOOP 15:58pm 5th Jul 2012
Well this one has surely split our fan base right down the middle. Unfortunately, this is sympomatic of the last few years of Wenger's hopefully soon to be ended reign. I have watched on with dismay as gooner fights gooner with vitriol and even physically in some cases. I keep reading about how no one player is bigger than the club - absolutely correct but surely then no one manager is bigger than the club ? If the man had any self respect he would have walked years ago rather than let supporter tear supporter apart. But self respect doesn't come in to it when you are pocketing £7m + per year (obviously no problem with 'financial doping' in his own case). I for one am extremely sorry to see RVP go and have no problem with his statement - he has seen that the emperor has no new clothes as many of us have for some time now.I personally believe that the day when the Ox was substitued against United was the day that he realised the game was up. If a look could paint a thousand words ..... However, whatever your take on RVP I find it disgraceful that people on here are wishing he breaks his ankle or are racially abusing him. You are the sort of muppets who follow chelsea and issue death threats to referees. We can all agree to disagree but for gods sake don't lower Arsenal supporters to that level. - Post No. 26273
Fantastico 16:03pm 5th Jul 2012
I for one agree with the way RVP went about this, I honestly doubt Arsene didn't see this coming after the way the meeting with RVP went earlier in the year. We all had a good feeling he would leave...If Arsene had absolutely no clue, he shouldn't be at the helm. that is all. Arsene, Gazidis & the board would have played along as though RVP was going to stay, racking up a higher transfer fee from any potential suitors. We've seen this happen before. Cesc, Henry, Nasri, Adebayor etc.... At Arsenal, no matter what the situation is..If the board laugh all the way to the bank, it is a win. Case closed. With RVP coming out to call them out and letting everyone know he will be leaving, there will be no stupendous transfer fee going in the coffers for the board to laugh about....Hit 'em where it hurts and maybe things will change... - Post No. 26276
Gooner S 16:39pm 5th Jul 2012
RVP is shortly to be 29 - It's his last big contract. I get it. I don't begrudge him wanting to get the best contract he can at this stage in his career. He should just say so. I don't believe the line of "I haven't discussed money". RVP might not have but if his agent hasn't he should sack him! I am fed up with the exiting players using the excuse of "I'm leaving to win things"; it's as if it's always somebody else's fault that the team haven't won anything. No! you were part of the team and the team didn't win anything. Cesc, Nasri, Clichy and now RVP. It was a collective failure. Do they realise what that statment sounds like to the fans who watched them win nothing! They don't even have the wit to say something anodyne like " I need a fresh challenge and a change of scenery". Still we are where we are. We need to make the best it. Sell RVP for the best price we can, get a decent replacement in and of course add to the squad with another couple of players - because that's all it needs. Lastly, to those of you that think that sacking Arsene Wenger will bring a change in business strategy from the board - you are mistaken. The board will have to change, not the manager, for that to happen. If the board changes, then you might get your wish granted for a change in Manager. - Post No. 26278
DW Thomas 16:54pm 5th Jul 2012
Both parties are guilty here, from a fan's perspective. Arsenal and RVP should have done more for each other. Wenger should be doing a lot more than Giroud and Podolski to strengthen the team and RVP should be more loyal and commit to one more season to win something. Find, don't do a new contract, but at least give it one more shot with Jack and the new boys. Or is there much more to RVP's words than we can tell? Either way, the club looks like a laughing stock and has-been feeder now. - Post No. 26279
Quillie 17:11pm 5th Jul 2012
Why are some arsenal fans such hypocrites?! They complain about the lack of ambition at the club, then criticise the players for doing exactly the same! Then they try and cover up their bitterness by claiming 'it's not what he's doing, it's what he's saying.' He has every right to say what he said because, for all intents and purposes, he's an ex-arsenal player. It makes no difference if he says it now or in a few weeks' time, when he's playing for another club. - Post No. 26282
goonercolesyboy 17:23pm 5th Jul 2012
My question to RVP is....What do you call the club's ambition or lack of it? If it is signing players, then maybe you can tell us who would have made the difference in this or preceding transfer windows? I can't think of anything else that would drive out the player as he has clearly stated that the money wasn't an issue or was that tongue in cheek? They decided this on May 16th when they met, so conveniently kept it stum until the season ticket deadline was passed and there is nothing cynical about that comment either, just a plain fact that we all deep down knew was going to happen. Also the news broke just after Podolski was unveield as an Arsenal player on the web site, his replacement? I guess that RVP knows that we are not buying a couple of high class defenders to shore up the leaks at the back and if that is the case then I can hardly blame him for moving on. - Post No. 26284
jimbob 17:33pm 5th Jul 2012
does this mean that wenger has finished in the transfer market?,based on the reason rvp wants to leave and stating that the club are not going in the direction he believes we shouid be.It would be very frustrating if he also goes in the direction of toure,clicy,nasri&co'.I for one wwould not let him go to city,Arsenal need to start standing tall and grow a pair,stop feeding other clubs with our best players and make the best players come to us.I was positive with the way we've started our summer,with the signings of podolski & giroud and a lot of talk about m'vila and lloris,but again we'll have to wait all summer to sort out where and when v-persie wants to go,thus leaving no time to sort out our other dealings and again subjected to another bout of panic buying. - Post No. 26285
mark hoffman 17:36pm 5th Jul 2012
We may not like the manner in which VP has finished at the club but it does highlight the continuing failure at the very top of the club to 1.win anything and 2. retain quality personnel. How about a new manager to start afresh - Post No. 26287
Ando 18:44pm 5th Jul 2012
one recuring theme is Arsenes missplaced loyalty with nearly all his players.He needs a new boss to kick his arse and get back to winning a trophy or three, if that means being unpopular with some playing staff then so be it, use them and abuse them. Kroenke + Wenger = no trophies only the player factory we have seen over the last few seasons. - Post No. 26292
Brian 18:44pm 5th Jul 2012
I am not surprised by some of the rubbish written by so-called Arsenal fans about RVP.I stood on the North Bank in 1987 when an all time Arsenal legend and one of the top 3 players i ever saw in an Arsenal shirt Liam Brady returned as a West Ham player and he was booed by Arsenal fans.Pathetic.RVP is no Greedy or Nasri he didnt give up trying in his final season.Every game last season RVP gave 100% to get us into the CL.Without his goals we would be lucky to be in the Europa league.There is nothing like an Arsenal fan scorned.Grow some balls and turn your anger at the blame for 7 trophyless seasons Wenger.RVP didnt buy rubbish like Chamakh Squillaci Santos,Silvestre,Gervinho and Park did he? - Post No. 26293
GREG71 18:54pm 5th Jul 2012
Sorry Joe can,t agree with your total support of the club in this,yes no player is no bigger than the club that however also goes for the board,their puppet and the manager. Just perhaps Ashley Cole was a visionary and jumped ship out of frustration and not just for the money.A depressing civil war has escalated among Arsenal supporters to a degree i have never known in all my thirtyseven years as a fan. At least Glasgow Rangers fans appear to be all together in their dark hours. - Post No. 26294
arsenal123 19:16pm 5th Jul 2012
we're all sad that RVP wont renew his contract and he will probably be sold this summer which is also not good thing but until kronke is gone we wont win anything and players that are sold wont be replaced. - Post No. 26296
Gooner S 19:41pm 5th Jul 2012
@ Brian A few mindless idiots might have booed Brady but what I recall is the standing ovation he got. - Post No. 26297
Joe Mardon 19:48pm 5th Jul 2012
Surprised at how many of you missed my points regarding the probablity of Robin being right, and the serious questions that have to be raised of the board and our direction, before bringing out your silly little 'AKB' bollocks. Such questions can be asked without the arrogance and contempt Robin has displayed. Now haven't you got billboards to be preparing? - Post No. 26299
Vince 19:54pm 5th Jul 2012
I dont think we should try to emulate Man City, but at the same time we are under investing and so the balance is wrong. I believe that having a US owner is part of the problem and would prefer David Dein back with Usmanov. Trouble is I cant see that happening. - Post No. 26300
Simon 20:01pm 5th Jul 2012
I have just read the open letter to the Arsenal board. It is hard to ignore the logic that it contains. Everyone should read it. The sooner Usmanov is on the board the better. Will someone tell me how many games our majority shareholder attends a season? The debate must move to who should be running OUR club. And I think the clear answer is change is required. Will Silent Stan pen a response ?? - Post No. 26301
charming 20:04pm 5th Jul 2012
you sound like one a Dylan fan who fell out when he went electric. he's ambitious, a star on limited time not achieving more than a golden boot. clichy, nasri and fabregas must be crying into their champagne having lost your words of rancorous wisdom. - Post No. 26302
arsefriend 20:23pm 5th Jul 2012
@BOB You absolutely read my mind. Make Diaby captain, see how fast we can move him on - Post No. 26303
Tim LeGuna 20:28pm 5th Jul 2012
We are a selling club and have been since at least 2005. We bring on talent and flog them for a profit, that's the business model i.e get a return on investment.He has simply done what the rest have done, decided enough is enough and he wants to win trophies. As an Arsenal fan so do I. We are going to win bugger all until the direction of travel changes. We can't even get rid of the deadwood because our competitors like us know they are not good enough. Another season of frustration becons. - Post No. 26304
Jason 20:45pm 5th Jul 2012
RVP may have gone the wrong way about it, but how many of us last season watched another disastrous defensive performance and thought to ourselves that we really couldn't blame him for not signing a new deal. The clubs contract negotiations and transfer policy over the last few seasons has been appalling, and last summer was just an embarrassment. RVP, the same as Nasri I might add, has just decided not to renew his contract. There is no obligation for any player to sign endless contracts. Lets be honest, RVP was leaving the minute we signed Podolski. When have Arsenal ever been so proactive in the transfer market? It was quite obvious when Gazidis said that they were keeping discussions to themselves that he had said he wasn’t going to sign. Arsenal just wanted to keep it quiet why the season ticket and membership renewals were on going. Arsenal these days are more like a political party than a football club. The Arsenal website is like a propaganda machine. Maybe it’s payback time. Remember Arsenal's previous attitude to the over 30's. Look at the way the club treated Pires, and even more so Dennis Bergkamp. The way Dennis was treated was an insult to the great man. The one person who was worse that any other previous player that has left the club in recent years is, yes, Cesc Fabragas. For some reason he has escaped the wrath of most Gooners, but lets look at the facts. He wanted to leave mid-contract, and virtually refused to play. Not only did he say he wanted to leave, he even dictated the club he was going to. This dramatically reduced his value. I think every Arsenal fan has got to realise that the crux of all our problems is by far and away Stan Kroenke. This man has absolutely no interest in winning trophies; his sole aim is to make money, end of story. While we continue to get 60000 every week, and qualify for the champions league, he is happy. If and when our crowds reduce and we fail to qualify for the champions league, he will just walk away. You only have to look at his terrible American Football team to realise that. I remember when Arsenal fans wanted to hear from Kroenke at last years supporters trust meeting. Kroenke’s opening line was something like, “You fans seem to want to hear what I’ve got to say, I don’t know why”. The reason he said that is he was thinking to himself, why would you lot want to hear from a bloke trying to milk every penny you have. Finally, it’s about time everyone stopped worshipping our players. Long gone have the Tony Adam’s of the world. To players, playing for Arsenal is a job, and they will play for you as long as you pay them what they want. It annoys me when I see grown men wearing names of players on the back of their shirts. Stop it now, and leave that to the kids!!!!! - Post No. 26306
johnnyh 20:54pm 5th Jul 2012
i dont care what van persie says about trophies. the fact is that this will be be his last opportunity to get on the man city gravy train and he isnt going to miss it. there is something deeply admirable about the way arsenal are run and how they try to live within their means but unfortunately the arrival in the premier league of a russian gangster and middle eastern oilmen with bottomless pockets have changed the footballing landscape. our club is at a crossroads and i for one have no idea which direction we should take next. - Post No. 26307
maguiresbridge gooner 21:17pm 5th Jul 2012
Yes he stuck two fingers up at arsene all right and hopefully the fact he has done it while still at the club will have more of an impact than if he did it after he leaves it might just wake this club and manager out of the stupor they've been in for years and to start showing ambition.Maybe if some of his team mates had been as good as him he might have been persuaded to stay. Your right joe very serious questions now need to be raised of the board but will they ? i think we all know the answer to that. At the minute there's only one direction this club is going. - Post No. 26308
Ramgun 21:40pm 5th Jul 2012
I would have had more respect for RVP if he had not agreed to keep his views secret until the season tickets had been renewed. He should have thought of the supporters in May. Now all the Wengerites and the spin machine at the club will do everything to make Van Persie a hate figure. Perhaps the muppets will boo him more than Nasri as we play through another trophy-less season. - Post No. 26310
johnnyhawleylovinggooner 21:42pm 5th Jul 2012
in fairness he is 29, injury prone and looking at his last big payday. The club had a year to buy marquee players to replace cesc and co. They will not do that, this is surely part of the reason he is going.The board needs to take command now and sell and replace the players we fans can see are not good enough as clearly AW is useless in dealing with the fall out of a player going that he thinks will really stay. Big Als holding company have finally come out and showen their hand, so it will be seen if they are all bluster or are going to force a change and are willing to warm up the board room cold war.Something has got to change and the manager would show he at least had a grip on events if he stoped makeing statements on the lines a player will stay/we are not a big club if we sell(INSERT NAME),really this has gone on long enough now. Sell him and buy a marquee replacement. - Post No. 26311
Andreas 21:56pm 5th Jul 2012
RVP is only saying the same a lot on here have been saying for 3 years. Why chastise him? He's got a family to think about as well and a career that has rewarded him with medals. He has seen, PV4, TH14, cesc, nasri, clichy, toure, flamini, hleb, barndoor all leave, all win at least one trophy. The club is making a profit, the board are getting richer. Why change a profit making habit? - Post No. 26312
wrag 0:47am 6th Jul 2012
Your an absolute disgrace hoping a player gets injured ! You lying in the same bed with wenger and gazidas by any chance ?? Van persie has just let the fans know what is going on behind closed doors ..and the problem is wenger and the board .. we are also rans under these mugs ! - Post No. 26315
Confused of N5 1:28am 6th Jul 2012
"The club is progressing and I want to be a part of that, so it was great to get the deal done.I've been here for five years now and I've enjoyed every minute.'Gareth Bale 24 June on signing a new 4 year contract. Spurs have a £70,000 wage cap and Europa League to look forward to. ''... it has again become clear to me that we in many aspects disagree on the way Arsenal FC should move forward. I've thought long and hard about it, but I have decided not to extend my contract." Club Captain Robin Van Persie 4 July. Arsenal would pay at least double the Spurs wage cap and are in the Champions League. Why do we get all the greedy bastards? - Post No. 26316
don froth 1:59am 6th Jul 2012
its all about the blackstock, its all about the dumpy bloke knocking out "up the arse outside" the mosque, its all about them mental lamenated hand written coach travel adverts at the arsenal supporters club shed, its all about the chinese family punting burger and chips for 1.20 at the avenell road fishbar.....this is our great club, van persie did alright for us but lets not get carried away. We may win jack next year, and the year after that and so on but when you have that 1.20 burger and chips, looking up avenell rd, thinking about wrighty and stepthen hughes hanging out the window in 98, thinking about those old queues for the northbank when it was still standing, thinking about paddy trotting around the ground in his tracksuit,Nobby on the front steps in his full get up! who really gives a monkeys about Robin Van Persie! our time will come again! Be priviledged you support the greatest club in the land!Never a dull moment being a gooner! - Post No. 26318
Shropshire Lad 2:12am 6th Jul 2012
Before any more of our fans get on this website and promote the good of bringing David Dein back think about the fact he cannot control his kid let alone the football club. And if one more bloody player kisses the Arsenal badge I swear I will swing for the bastard! Come on Arsene build a British team that wins trophies, now that would be a really amazing achievement! The mercenaries started coming to Arsenal when Arsene first took over, now they are here in droves. Do you think Vermaelen with all his recent ' Tony Adams rhetoric' can be trusted? - he's RVP's best mate and dines out with Pyol - as you do! Modern footballers make you sick - money grabbing - self opinionated arseholes in the main. The exceptions are sadly becoming more and more difficult to find. - Post No. 26319
mark from aylesbury 8:29am 6th Jul 2012
Just maybe this is one player too far at least red and white holdings are kicking off. Time for Alisha to buy some shares I reckon. - Post No. 26323
Andrew Cohen 9:09am 6th Jul 2012
Bob, that is the very best thing I have ever seen on this site. - Post No. 26325
win AFC 9:15am 6th Jul 2012
Prople seem to forget that without RVP's goals last season Arsenal would not have finished third in the pl. And he is right when it comes to the club not having ambition. Evan Cesc commented on the way Arsenal was being run before he left. - Post No. 26326
John E Griff 9:52am 6th Jul 2012
The thing that's tough is getting the next generation of fans to care about the club when this happens, all too often (the past 5 Club Captains, in fact). I bought my 8 year old a picture that has pride of place in his room of RvP hands aloft. On the back I have written: 30 goals, PFA & Footballer Writer's Footballer of the Year. Arsenal Captain. " Why's he want to leave Arsenal then, Dad?" He doesnt understand it and I find it difficult to explain. - Post No. 26327
Viva Usmanov 10:04am 6th Jul 2012
Dear Joe - for someone that comes across as articulate, thoughtful and most importantly a proper Gunner I find your reflections astonishingly niave. If you won't listen to RVP - a man that has been at the club long enough to properly understand what is going on in there perhaps you should perhaps give credence to the language that Mr Usmanov used in his open letter – if you haven't read it I'll summarise – the board totally ripped us off, they continue to rip us off. If you don't see this and choose to blindly swallow bull**** and refuse to accept the blatant reality you are part of the problem and therefore contributing to this heartbreaking decline. - Post No. 26329
Andy M 10:44am 6th Jul 2012
Shame about Robin. We always thought he had a great season in him and the last campaign was it. Didn't carry that form into the Euros did he? We supported him through the glass ankle years, his skirmish with the law in Holland. Think he owes Arsene and the team a bit more than a clumsy online statement. He'll probably go to City - no class has a home there. I do feel concerned at the lack of ambition shown by the club. I know it's about trade-offs and that our financial position is a key driver of what occurs in the transfer market - but Podolski and Giroud with Van Persie would be a more attractive proposition than without. And we really need a midfield general. You don't have to go too far back to remember how good a partnership Vieira and Petit was... - Post No. 26332
Skooner 12:23pm 6th Jul 2012
@RJ So who is really worth keeping? We've got some good players in the likes of TV5, Sagna and Wilshere but none of them are truly top class (Jack might become so but who knows). I don't actually think the quality of the players is that important at the moment anyway. The club isn't structured to succeed. My point was we'd be better in the long run in getting rid of Wenger (and the board) which runs the risk of losing some of our current better players in the short term than continuing down the road we are on. - Post No. 26337
Joe S. 13:48pm 6th Jul 2012
I sympathise with the fan on the Youtube video ranting away at Van Persie, you can't beat that type of raw emotion and love for his Arsenal, but at the same time I agree that RVP has deliberatly stuck two fingers up at the people running the club and the ex punk in me admires his couldn't give a stuff cheek. Not that we should be surprised, his body language after the West Brom. game did not look like that of someone chomping at the bit with excitment. The final six games of the season saw the team fizzle out and there is nothing to inspire confidence in either mid field or defence: Song, Rosicky, Ramsey Theo, Arteta journeymen all. Still I think some people are being too harsh on him compared with the way Cesc Fabergrass has been forgiven.Now here was a player who in his final season put in half hearted performances and after March even dogging injuries, sitting it out and leaving young Jack Wiltshire to carry the can. Once at his beloved Barcellona those niggling injuries appear to have disappeared and he remains one of the toughest and most skillful footballers around. All that aside the most telling issue is that our club is being mismanaged.This is blatently obvious to neutral fans so I don't see why the majority of Arsenal fans are so accepting of the poor administration and failed policy. - Post No. 26341
LJB 15:16pm 6th Jul 2012
Confused,bale has signed a new deal because he knows Spurs are on the verge of a big takeover.How else,with their revenues,can they afford to give AVB 100 mill to spend? The new owners wanted rid of Redknapp because his profile is too small to attract the kind of players they want.Maybe when Spurs finish 30 points ahead of us and beat us 6.0 home and away,Arsenal fans might start realising we need Usmanov.Probably not,we'll be in the Blue Square Prem before fans start saying maybe we should change our policy. - Post No. 26343
Mark 19:18pm 6th Jul 2012
ive got no issues with what he said and im a life long fan. call it as it is. its not just lack spending its lack of smart ambition. as usmanov has said there should be better ways today to finance that debt and not just keep selling best players every year - Post No. 26364
Luke 22:47pm 6th Jul 2012
Spot on last 3 paragraphs. Arsenal are more important and have been with me for 30 years. Reckon Ive had a decent 14 months with RVP. Hope he wins as many tropjies moving forward as he has with the dutch team...oh....not that many then. severe lack of class from someone who looked like he had it - Post No. 26386
omegaman3000 15:11pm 8th Jul 2012
Well said. Getting fed up with these mercenaries and the way they are destroying football. Maybe that's harsh on RvP but it's really galling that we're dropped once a better offer comes along after all the nurturing. - Post No. 26446
11th June 2013
Arsenal can become Bayern Munich
Online Ed: Just give us a couple of years, says Ivan Gazidis at annual q&a
No. 17
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