Arsenal

[Art Vandelay]

It's cheap because he released it under the pretense of letting us fans know what's going on, in doing so becoming the first Premiership footballer of all-time to give a solitary shite what the fans know or how they feel. That his statement made it impossible to stay at the club says it all. He's no better than Nasri, Cole or Adebayor whichever way you slice it.

[Lucky]

No one's ever going to get another season like the one he just had out of him. If we can get anywhere near £20m for him this summer it will be good business.

I was thinking exactly this but weren't sure if I was just trying to convince myself that it's ok, there isn't a problem, move along, nothing to see here etc...

After reading 007's post though, I think it might not be as big a disaster as it now seems.

Edit: Doh!

Can't believe I forgot to include Cole in the proper cunt list above. (thanks Art).

After all, he is the founder member.

[Rev]

If he signs for Juventus next week it'll be fantastic. But he'll sign for City on August 30th.

The real tragedy is that this didn't happen before Bendtner decided to leave.

It wasn't actually a full season either 2011 was amazing for him, but 2012 wasn't particularly impressive. Decent, but not massively notable.

[The Fox]

He's blatantly full of shit. Easy damage limitation to jump on the "Arsenal lack ambition" bandwagon, knowing full well a large section of the media and even Arsenal blogs will lap that rhetoric up. It turns people against Wenger again too, as they'll blame him for being tight-fisted, so that's hugely disrespectful.

Fuck him. Money grabber, just like the rest of 'em. If Giroud and Poldi aren't the end of the signings then I'm not that fussed, because he's highly unlikely to ever have another season like 11/12.

[hercules]

Can't say i'm not gutted and a little suprised as i always had a sneaky feeling he might stay, but now its time to move on and build without him. The truth is a change in formation might benefit alot of our players, maybe try out a 4-4-2 for home games. We've got to try and sign Theo and Song to deals now as we can't lose them aswell.

[The Fox]

Had a look on the Arseblog News comments to see how many people are buying into his crap. I'd say 80% of the posts on there can see right through it, which is nice. Probably won't be the same on Le grove or Online gooner, but then those places are full of mentalists anyway.

I bet Adrian Durham is a good listen tonight. He must think he's died and gone to heaven.

[Silent Runner]

Sad news. I really hope he goes to Spain or Italy - couldn't handle him banging in goals against us.

[Rev]

Sad news. I really hope he goes to Spain or Italy - couldn't handle him banging in goals against us.

I think:

Juventus, City, PSG, Chelsea, Barce. In that order of likelihood.

[The Fox]

lol, was just reading Durham's tweets and even he is saying Van Persie has kicked Wenger and Arsenal in the balls with this statement.

If even the most likely media cheerleader to join in with RVP's 'ambition' schtick isn't buying it, I can't see it working with most Arsenal fans.

[Silent Runner]

I think:

Juventus, City, PSG, Chelsea, Barce. In that order of likelihood.

Juventus - really? I know they had a lowball offer turned down earlier in the week but would they be in the running for one of the worlds best strikers? So depressing.

[redbloodcell]

Juventus - really? I know they had a lowball offer turned down earlier in the week but would they be in the running for one of the worlds best strikers? So depressing.

What, the unbeaten champions of Italy who just had 6 starters playing in the Euro final? That Juventus? I think they might be yeah.

[Silent Runner]

Yeah - true. But Serie A still strikes me as the poor football relation of Spain, Germany and the premier league. At least for the last few seasons.

[Gotters]

I'm a card holding match attending fan, and will boo him for sport when he comes back I'm sure, but never get the attitude of people who hate players for doing what we'd all do in our professional lives.

Players aren't fans, they are employees, if I was offered twice the salary to ply my trade elsewhere I'd go, simple as that. I know some folk have special circumstances and feel indebted to an employer but for most people that simply isn't the case.

Why can't fans not see it this way and react accordingly

[SeanR]

Oh well, moving on...

[Daley]

Couple of things.

Clearly AFC did not know this was coming. This statement they have released clearly shows they weren't prepared:

Arsenal Football Club has issued the following statement with regard to Robin van Persie's future:

"

We have to respect Robin's decision not to renew his contract. Robin has one year to run on his current contract and we are confident that he will fulfil his commitments to the Club.

"We are planning with ambition and confidence for next season with Arsenal's best interests in mind."

Not exactly the most in-depth and Arsenal like to announce things one way or the other so this is not how they do business. This has taken them by surprise.

And second of all RvP is not being honest in his statement:

Ivan is not on a two week holiday. Such things do not exist for Chief Executives at football clubs or anywhere else.

From Arsenal's head of communications (in reply to that shitbag Piers Morgan.)

But it's all irrelevant really. He has decided to go and it's a shame. But better more important players have left and I won't shed any tears. Here before you, here after you leave. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

[Art Vandelay]

I'm a card holding match attending fan, and will boo him for sport when he comes back I'm sure, but never get the attitude of people who hate players for doing what we'd all do in our professional lives.

Players aren't fans, they are employees, if I was offered twice the salary to ply my trade elsewhere I'd go, simple as that. I know some folk have special circumstances and feel indebted to an employer but for most people that simply isn't the case.

Why can't fans not see it this way and react accordingly

Because he called himself a fan. He happily released photos of him as a 10 year old dressed in his Arsenal kit whilst sat on his Arsenal bedspread next to his Arsenal wallpaper. He calls himself a Gooner and talks about bringing the glory days back. To treat the club that kept faith in a perrenial crock and, at the start, a petulant little prick is disgusting, frankly.

Also, it's not like leaving a telesales job to join another telesales company and do telesales somewhere different, it's being the captain of a football club you've been at for almost a decade and trading that to play wherever will pay you most. It's incredibly unlikely he'll be given the role he has at Arsenal somewhere else, but I think it's clear now that footballers would prefer to be an inconsequential cog in a huge machine that wins things than someone of any importance at a team where his input is required.

It's of course too much to expect a footballer to possess the loyalty a fan does, but they shouldn't be surprised when the supporters remember that's exactly what they said they were and are annoyed they've treated the club like an 16k a year telesales position.

[Rev]

I'm a card holding match attending fan, and will boo him for sport when he comes back I'm sure, but never get the attitude of people who hate players for doing what we'd all do in our professional lives.

Players aren't fans, they are employees, if I was offered twice the salary to ply my trade elsewhere I'd go, simple as that. I know some folk have special circumstances and feel indebted to an employer but for most people that simply isn't the case.

Why can't fans not see it this way and react accordingly

Because he's a cunt?

EDIT: As noted above.

[KRP]

Must be a good sign that we made such positive signings without even knowing RVP intended to leave. That's a positive at least.

[toythatkills]

Yeah, it could mean that we're going to sign a world class striker to replace Van Persie, now.

(where's that giant LOL smiley?)

[carlito]

Break a leg Robin!

[carlito]

Well, thanks for sticking with us through all your injuries.

Quality.

[Lucky]

Maybe AW knew he was not gonna stay, hence the new un Arsenal like & early signings?

I suppose it doesn't matter now anyway, can't help but feel let down though.

He's had 7 injury prone disrupted seasons with an average goal return then the minute he has an injury free belter of a season he decides the clubs ambition doesn't match his own.

Shut the door on your way out mate.

Surely we've got to get rid ASAP.

[carlito]

The more I think about it, the more cunty it is releasing that statement.

It's fucking shunted any hope of getting a premium transfer fee for him now that everyone knows he wants out, it's suggested that the club isn't ambitious enough to potential signings and it's put us in a shit negotiating position if we want to get another player in his position.

Reeks of Darren Dein.

[Dude Ranch]

I'm going to find my boss tomorrow morning and tell him that I, an individual employee, don't agree with how he runs his company. And if he doesn't listen to me and start running things how I want I'll leave. At which point he'll piss his pants laughing and show me the door. And rightly so.

[TehStu]

This is par for the course at Arse, though. You can go all the way back to folk like Overmars leaving for money.

[carlito]

Got a nasty feeling he's going to go to Chelsea.

[Lucky]

I'm a card holding match attending fan, and will boo him for sport when he comes back I'm sure, but never get the attitude of people who hate players for doing what we'd all do in our professional lives.

Players aren't fans, they are employees, if I was offered twice the salary to ply my trade elsewhere I'd go, simple as that. I know some folk have special circumstances and feel indebted to an employer but for most people that simply isn't the case.

Why can't fans not see it this way and react accordingly

Here's your answer.

I'm going to find my boss tomorrow morning and tell him that I, an individual employee, don't agree with how he runs his company. And if he doesn't listen to me and start running things how I want I'll leave. At which point he'll piss his pants laughing and show me the door. And rightly so.

Unfortunately this is football where 'real life' rules don't apply.

[Dude Ranch]

I agree with everyone in here, the way he's gone about this is dreadful and utterly disrespectful. I really feel for Wenger, a bloke who shows class and loyalty and gets it thrown back in his face time and again.

[KRP]

Got a nasty feeling he's going to go to Chelsea.

Would make sense even, given that he is settled in London. Fucking shit sandwich.

[carlito]

I can't believe it wasn't Darren Dein looking for a last paycheque on RVP.

The club said they weren't selling, PHW said there were no offers, club and player had agreed to keep quiet about it and Holland bombed in the Euros. Not exactly the kind of thing that would get a bidding war going, not like, say, a fucking statement on your personal website would.

Respect for the club? Fuck off man. You release a statement like that and don't even warn them? Hinting at a lack of ambition is a bit fucking rich when we signed two quality players before the transfer window even opened too.

What a terrible shame it is that he played his hand like this. He could have left the club without any animosity from the fans as Fabregas and Henry did, but this is just too much to get over.

I hope that 15% is worth it Dein you horrible cunt, you just helped our captain shit all over his 8 year relationship with the club.