Our previously fantastic Dutch Captain has confirmed what we have truthfully all feared for the last couple of months, he will not be renewing his contract with our beloved club. He chose to do this on his own official website which I personally believe was the first of his mistakes today, the club were apparently taken aback by the statement and have only just released their own blurb on the matter. The announcement should have been made by the club on its website and not by the player himself once he had decided what course of his career would take.
We will have a look at the statement itself and try to break it down a bit further
“I’ve thought long and hard about it, but I have decided not to extend my contract,” – considering the much talked about meeting with AW & Ivan the Greek occurred in Mid May why the wait in informing the fans. Surely this could have been announced before he met up with his mates for a kick-about in Poland.
Referring to the aforementioned meeting in May – “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. Personally I find this a little hard to believe. A nearly 29-year-old professional footballer entering into what will be in all reality his final big pay-day doesnt discuss financial terms or length of contract. Depending on where he ends up and for how much money we will know whether financial gain is in his thoughts.
Next Up – “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.
In his 18 months of fitness with the club we have admittedly struggled at times and not looked like winning anything. However claiming that you want to return a club to its glory days and then walking out on it as the established star striker don’t really compute. You have to imagine this was a carefully planned release with his agent and PR man to make himself look good.
“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.” This one is the kicker and in my mind is the one that (a) the fans should feel most anger about
(b) makes his position at the club untenable.
By openly and very fucking publicly questioning the Manager and the club’s direction as a whole he has basically engineered a move away without asking to leave. The club will not be able to keep a player on its books who clearly doesn’t believe in its direction going forward, even if it would only be a 12 month period. In football and professional sport in general all members of any club must be privately and publicly pulling in the same direction. To save face, regardless of what statements are made to the press RVP must be sold(just not to Citeh).
“I love the club and the fans, no matter what happens,” he added. “I have grown up and became a man during my time with Arsenal FC. – I don’t agree. A real man would stay and fight on with the club he supposedly loves and his matured with. Again more PR spin im afraid.
“Everybody at the club and the fans have always supported me over the years and I have always given my all [and more] on and off the pitch. I am very proud of being part of this fantastic club for the last eight years. More PR guff to make him seem like he is genuinely sad to be leaving.
The club have responded with the following
“ 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.”
To be honest they couldn’t have really come out with anything else. Regardless of the poor manner of Robin’s statement release of the contract decision Arsenal as a club would have to respond in a professional and dignified manner. Publicly displaying their anger at the player would have served no purpose and reflected badly on those in charge.
I have always liked Robin and felt like many others that if it weren’t for all his injury problems during his time here that he could have made an even greater impression upon the history of the club. I think however it is those very injury problems that will cause a resentment against the player following his decision. Arsenal have paid him very handsomely over the course of his time at the club despite all the various injuries he suffered and lengthy periods of time spent on the treatment table. To turn around and leave after his longest by far spell of fitness & productivity with the club is what will gall the most.
I’m not one of those who feel that any player who leaves the club at his own request should be vilified, I was quite happy watching Cesc score goals for Barca as i felt he had given his all for the club throughout his time here. When Sol left for his own personal reasons I bore no grudges. HOwever the manner in which this has occurred will sour my opinion of Robin and that disappoints me. similar to the decision and announcement of Lebron James to leave Cleveland a couple of years ago, I think this could also reflect badly on RObin with the public at large.
At this point we need to move him on to anywhere but Citeh(we can’t go on being their feeder club) and spend the money on a top class replacement. Coincidentally the loaning out of Afobe now doesn’t seem like such a good idea. I’m sure more things will be said & written by more informed people than myself over the next couple days but I just needed to put my two cents worth down on virtual paper to air out some anger.
Laters
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