From Captain Vantastic to a symbol of betrayal

At last, tides hit the shore. Finally, the RVP transfer saga is over with the striker agreeing the terms with Manchester giants. We all knew it was coming when Van Persie denied to extend his contract at Arsenal. In the end, it was the truth, we all know, that came out.

Robin van Persie’s departure from the Emirates Stadium to Old Trafford, a rarely trampled path, will see him become the first direct transfer from Arsenal to Manchester United since England international Viv Anderson completed a £250,000 move in 1987 to become Sir Alex’s first signing as United manager.

We may not have any right to expect more from players in this commercially driven game but we have an expectation to not be treated as fools, and when that is tested, it’s perfectly fine to criticize.

There are wider concerns to be tackled, which is where the truth becomes unpleasant. Robin van Persie is one of the football’s top strikers and he decides to leave Arsenal. His statement was not ‘for the fans’, as he so dotingly perceived, but for himself. His statements about respect are drivel. It is what he has not said that made more sense, underlining the sheer lack of self-awareness. Making the situation so public and so hard to reverse leaves Arsenal with a soon to be 29 year old injury prone striker, his value dropped with every self-fulfilling decree written.

The Dutchman may feel he owes Mr. Wenger, manager, mentor and man who put him where he is today, some kind of debt having stuck by him and shown faith that he’d come good. Perhaps Robin van Persie will regret his decision to leave Emirates in his latter stages of life, but that’s on a personal level and doesn’t make him the gooner he would like to portray himself as. What this does is not only demoralize the club and the players with whom they shared a changing room, but it is a ploy designed to get the fans on side, turn them against the club, to play on their emotions.

This summer, Robin van Persie is unimpressed with the signings of FC Cologne legend & German international boasting more than 100 caps, Lucas Podolski, Top scorer of Ligue 1 & France International Olivier Giroud & two time European champion, Santi Cazorla. He is free to leave Arsenal for whatever reason he wants; it’s his life and his career. We have survived far better players leaving Arsenal and we will most certainly survive without him too. We’ve stuck together and overcome these battles in our own little way. Yes we didn’t win silverware, but we didn’t let the cannon fall down in shame. I believe we will rise through this and come back stronger and better.

You either die a hero, Or live long enough to see yourself becoming a villain! True that. Thank you for everything. No one is bigger than the club. I forgive you van Persie, for your want to win more trophies. But becoming a legend, you will never get close to. Good bye Robin van Persie.