Adam Kemp – Another year, Another Arsenal captain leaves (What respect?)
He leaves when he wants, he leaves when he wants, he’s Robin Van Persie and he leaves when he wants. by Adam Kemp
In most teams a captain is supposed to demonstrate fierce loyalty, inspire his teammates and represent the club’s philosophies. Unfortunately the captain’s armband at Arsenal is signified as a price tag for its most prized asset. Hopefully Arshavin, Bendtner, Denilson, Squillaci and Park will all have a shout of being appointed captain anytime soon. Arsenal has not even had a semi loyal captain since Gallas and even he defected to Spurs. Between Kroenke, Gazidis and Wenger, there has been a royal cock up in how players are managed and rewarded.
So I guess that’s another world class player on his way out of Arsenal. Another groundhog summer, another captain on his way out of the club; leaves behind us fans arguing about who is to blame, and what could have been done differently. Towards the back end of last season RVP’s body language was not quite right and the goals began to dry up. He looked disinterested and although we sang ‘he scores when he wants’ we maybe should have sung ‘he leaves when he wants.’ Maybe if we were not so blindly loyal to these players and treat them like gods, then they may have to actually earn our respect with commitment. RVP is just another mercenary waste of space and will fit in perfectly at City.
From observing his post-match interviews where he refused to commit himself to the club, I couldn’t help just think that he will almost certainly refuse to sign a new deal. Some shambolic performances this season has condemned us to losing our appeal to the top players. RVP’s official statement to the fans is riddled with hypocrisy and is sign of player dissent and disrespect. He states ‘Out of my huge respect for Mr. Wenger, the players and the fans I don’t want to go into any details, 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.’
Please can anybody tell me that this statement reflects the huge respect that Van Persie holds for our club? This statement is a complete oxymoron written by a moron! Arsenal have stated on their official site that they intended to keep him to the terms of the final year of his contract, however, RVP’s now ensured Arsenal will have no choice but to flog him. The likely destination would be City as they seem to inherit all of our disgruntled and disloyal players. If he decides the Italian league is a step up in class, then Juventus will no doubt offer a modest fee for a player of his quality. They have already offered an insulting £8 Million which was firmly rejected. Just like Adebayor, Clichy, Nasri and Fabregas, he will effectively cause disharmony, forcing us to sell him on his own terms to the club of his choice.
Why is the club so adamant to renew the contracts of the likes of Johan Djourou, when they have two years left, as opposed to renewing Van Persie’s last summer? I believe Alex Song and Theo only have one year left and I wouldn’t at all be surprised if they jumped ship as well. Other big teams seem to effortlessly tie down their key players to long term deals, whereas Arsenal players state that there is plenty of time for talks. I am disgusted at the lack of discipline or ethical considerations that our club implement in terms of player recruitment and retention. Arsenal is definitely a commercial business run for profit taking as opposed to winning silverware. It is not a coincidence that every world class player wants to move on to other clubs that harbour more footballing ambition.
I say sell the disloyal Dutch maestro and spend the fee on other areas of the squad. C’mon, did you really think Podolski and Giroud weren’t going to be his replacements? This is the first summer that Arsenal has actually signed players before the start of the transfer window. At least we have learned from our mistakes last summer and made a start in the transfer market. So let’s hope he is sold for a substantial fee, and unlike last summer let’s hope the board and Wenger actually invest this money on new players.
I would argue that RVP owes a great debt to Arsenal for sticking by him when injuries plagued his career, and yet, this is how he repays the club. He is a little man and there will be other players to idolise after he has gone. We can discuss all day long whether his claim that Arsenal aren’t going in the right direction holds water. Personally, I agree with him and I have been saying for years that there are severe problems imbedded in the management of the club. Let’s be honest, Arsenal are not likely to mount a serious title challenge next season as we have an inadequate team.
Every time I have criticised Arsenal and the great untouchable Wenger, many of you are quick to send abusive messages venting your anger towards my posts. I am incredibly frustrated that we make vast sums of profit and pay the highest ticket prices in the world, only to watch inconsistent players fail. I am fed up of fans likening their footballing heroes to gods as they are just business men with no true loyalty to a club. Van Persie – like Nasri – is a disrespectful tool and doesn’t deserve your respect. Every summer we seem to have a drama with one player that sends out the wrong message to younger players within the team. The players are probably thinking that if I play well then maybe a City will give me double my wages!
Let’s just hope Podolski doesn’t put in a transfer request next summer?
Adam Kemp
Van has to remember the time when he was injured who asked about him. for me i like giggs with his record in united…
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
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The shocking news of RVP which if fact should not be anymore after we have seen a lot in this club in the last 7 years is just another event that should be considered as the continuation of players exodus in recent years.But what really cause frustration and may even anger is the disloyalty of players in this era. Though they give different reason for their departure the true and only reason is “money” the almighty money that lured Players like Clichy, Nasri, and the list continues. You can not keep a player no matter what you do unless you satisfy their insatiable hunger for money.and this is happening in a world where half the population earn under a dollar a day. Football unfortunately has become a lucrative business for players but a melodrama for supports like us.RVP enjoy your money with city!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Adam Kemp – as always brilliantly put….
Was hoping against hope that RVP stays put….
The only positive sign this time ( unlike last few years ) – we have at least shown initiative to sign on quality players….the last few years Transfer windows ere nightmarish experience….
I’m looking forward to this year…whatever happens….
Let’s roll ….
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blame the players, each year, every year. do people not see a pattern here of progressive managerial incompetence (or impotence) you should be concerned about bleeding goals not the loss of a striker who had a great season for the club. the directors and manager have no more loyalty to arsenal than the players (who face praise and criticism every week) and they are no less mercenary – do you know how much they are paid and how much tax they are paying. no, I thought not. Time for Wenger and his backers to go.
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man with no history just like HELB,FLAMINI,NASTY o NASRY
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It’s time that Wenger sees the light and makes an Englishman (Wilshere or Ramsey) captain for next season. The captain does NOT have to be the best player in the team, just consistent and with sufficient presence to command the respect of his team mates. Then you will see loyalty. RvP should leave now. One top class defender and a hard midfielder will complete the squad to challenge for honours.
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to me it seems like Arsenes stuck in another world!
Don’t get me wrong he’s a fantastic manager..
but look around the greatest (Sir Alex fergurson, Jose mourinho, pepe guardiolar)managers/teams in the world spend at least 50mil a season just to keep up the success for years to come, just got to buy the right players! But arsenal havnt done this. we never really look on getting REAL world class players cus we don’t win anything the best won’t to be the best.
Forget rvp don’t have time for the kid, Buut with just a couuple of pivital signings like an actual proven striker a left back and an creative playmaker in the centre I can see the Gunnerz back on top is one 50 mil spree that much to ask for, for a club who makes 60mil profit a season!?
Arsenal for the title? Maybe, with abit of luck just maybe. wer due it back !
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“Arsenal has not even had a semi loyal captain since Gallas and even he defected to Spurs.”
That’s a load of rubbish. Fabregas was and still is loyal. He loves AFC and I’m sure he will return one day just like King Henry. Cesc still wears the Arsenal crest on his boots! The bottom line was that he always wanted to return to his hometown and I don’t think anyone has the right to hate him for that. As far as RVP goes, we will move on and we will win trophies. We are Arsenal Football Club and we are bigger than any player.
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i actualy dnt knw why we arsenal fans tends to not b objective…the arsenal board runs arsenal as a brand just as d player managers run their players as a brand…if rvp wants to leave its bcos he is a brand dat is ambitious nd to me he wil b a fool nt to leave wen e knows he only hav 3 to 4 years at his peak while we fans hav our whole life to support arsenal to win a trophy which am sure wil com wen rvp must hav retired and we dont want the man to leave to where success is immediate….i tink we are all selfish abt dis…henry left wen e felt e his getin old and e doesnt see arsenal winnin a champions league in years to come me if was not branded infamous for dis act so why blame rvp if e wants to do same after e was only wantin the best 4 our club and himself while obviously d board doesnt want same…lets drop dis issue and wish the man well as he is a true hero who is ambitious…only a fool of a player wil stay at arsenal wen e knows he can get both money and success elsewhere which arsenal wont give..and only am unambitious person will blame r v p so lets watch ourselves am divert our anger to the board,thats where its needed…more of dis kind of case still to come if the board dont change their philosophy….
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u lost ma respect RVP
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I agree n disagree with you kemp
One: to the fact that our manager and the board have turned this club into an academy for other clubs meanwhile milking the fans to run dis academy I agree with n all the criticism that u have layed on wenger n d board, u r rite on point
2ndly based on this one fact I won’t call RVP disrespectful or disloyal if he was why did he wait to speak to mr wenger n mr spendthrift before deciding he won’t renew, he could have just decided immediately after d season, but he didn’t that shows smthg. We can’t expect to keep loyal players if we don’t give them what to motivate them, we don’t match competition in any regards either in ambition or in salaries. If I was RVP I would leave too
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What can I say. If this man doesnt listen to his wife, his monther, his father or his kids, what chance is there of Mr. Wenger making him change his mind. Let him leave and we can move on. If he stays in England it’s a chance for us to show how disappointed we are with him when he comes to the Emirates.
IAWT
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