A mother and her young son approached me at a children’s indoor playground recently and wanted to talk to me about football. I’d never met them before but her boy, who was no older than ten, was a big fan of the game and wanted to chat. He had a problem. He loved the Premier League, something he had discovered in the last year, knew the players but needed a team to follow regularly and wanted my advice. I thought long and hard and after finding out a little more about him I finished my advice off with five words.
Don’t become an Arsenal fan.
Modern day football and super power clubs with mega rich owners have swallowed the hopes of competitive football clubs around the globe in the last decade. Fantastic, proud clubs with a history of winning things like Newcastle, Everton, Aston Villa, Tottenham and even Liverpool, of late, have realised they now start seasons with no chance of winning their domestic league. Fans may not like it but they still watch and average crowds have never been bigger at their grounds. They know their club’s identity much like fans of Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea know theirs. They now expect to win every year.
Sitting in between these two groups are Arsenal fans who don’t even fit in their own group because their own club splits their opinions right down the middle. There are those who believe in Wenger and those who no longer do. Either way, both groups still believe their team can win it all.
Those who believe in Wenger either do so because what he did a decade ago or enjoy supporting a football club that is financially sustainable. They quote FFP and believe that one day Arsenal will be laughing while other super giant clubs come crashing down. The problem with this notion is that other super giant clubs are not only better than Arsenal at football but also at generating revenue through commercial and sponsorship revenue. They are also better than Arsenal at consuming debt that will be allowed through FFP (to think FFP will regulate football clubs to spend less than they make, like Arsenal, is naive). And now they are far better than Arsenal at keeping players.
Footballers want two things in their careers, lots of money and trophies. The problem Arsenal have had in the last eight years is that they have not needed to find the key to their trophy cabinet. The cabinet, full of wonderful moments of the past, does nothing for modern day players when they walk by it. Van Persie was surely sold on it when he joined the club in May of 2004 and how could he have not have been? Arsenal had just won four major domestic honours in four years. They were a club who expected to win often. Over eight years later the Dutchman departs North London with one FA Cup medal from the 2005 final, a game in which he played just 24 minutes in as a second half substitute.
There will be those today who chastise Van Persie for leaving a football club that made him and paid him well during his time but the facts are the facts and one cup medal for eight years service at a club he believed was a serious contender for all competitions is not a worthy return for a player of his abilities. Van Persie has chosen to sign for a football club that every year gives their fans and players a real shot at winning everything.
His departure continues a trend at the football club that they, very much like the clubs named in the second group above, are now a selling club. They have created a message to players that now reads ‘come to our club, make yourself a star and one day you will win trophies – for other clubs’.
‘In Arsene We Trust’ members will rejoice today that they sold a 29-year-old player for 24 million pounds in the last year of his deal when in reality they sold their chances at winning the Premier League for that price. Sure, their signings this summer have made them stronger but with Van Persie in that team they were good enough to challenge the two Manchester clubs for the title. Without him they are now a side who will once again comfortably finish in the top four and somehow celebrate it like it is a significant achievement, when in reality all they have done is beaten a bunch of average teams for the right to finish close to the top teams in position only.
The record books will show the club finished third last season but those who witnessed it will tell you it was one of the worst seasons since Wenger came aboard, despite Van Persie’s fantastic 30 goal campaign. The club never came close to challenging, was out of all major competitions by the end of February and needed to get better. Instead, they sold their best player. Robin Van Persie would not have been the first player to stick around for a year, fulfill his contract and then leave for nothing and Arsenal fans who think that 24 million pounds is better than that scenario have clearly forgotten the joy fans get when their team wins something.
They may also not have considered that their club, for the second successive season, sold a top player to one of the three clubs who had legitimate shot at getting in their way of winning trophies this season. Van Persie will not return to the Emirates until April 27th and fans ready to give it to him that day should be reminded that it will be the first time in a number of years that the Dutchman will play a game in that stadium that late in the season that meant something in terms of the Premier League title.
Don’t be mad at the player, Arsenal fans. Today’s departure firmly puts you in a diffierent category. You are a great club with a great history but no longer one that is big enough to win and keep hold of the world’s best players.
“Don’t become an Arsenal fan.”
I can’t get behind the idea that you should only cheer for teams that win.
That’s not what it was meant to be about. The point was to cheer for a team that knows its identity.
Of course. So you’d have an easier time cheering for Arsenal if they came out and said “we have no ambition, if you support us you please don’t expect anything.”
I get it.
You MUST be an American that picked up Arsenal sometime after 2002.
I agree, all you are promoting is glory supporting. Let him support who he wants, rather than a team just because they win.
http://goo.gl/FLb5K
What is the point of that comment?
Ouch KJ, just ouch..
Meh. I still think they’re the same as before. Giroud is an amazing player and so is Podolski. Neither are world class, but they’re still really good players and both (especially Giroud) have the chance to turn world class. I don’t think Arsenal is going to miss Van Persie that much. Besides Van Persie was 29, he played most of his pro career at Arsenal just wanted to try a new challenge. Arsenal can still attract big players, and its still a big team. Its just the lure of a trophy was great in a player like Van Persie that is approaching the final years of his career. With Fabregas it had nothing to do with the club, its just he wanted to return home. And Nasri is Na$ri.
Yes keep him for a year when his mind would be elsewhere. Once he released that terrible statement on his site July 4 he was a goner. How many years did Wenger stick with him while he sat on the trainers table. Year after year, injury after injury. he stuck with him. One magnificent injury free season later he says “see ya”. #class #£220k
You mention his 8 years of “service” to the club. Would love to go over the injury history over those 8 years and how much he contributed to the club
As an Oilers fan, Arsenal reminds me of the Oilers of the 90s: good enough to get into the playoffs, but not good enough to win the Cup. And when their good players develop and become great, they can’t afford to pay higher wages and the player leaves, resulting in the team never becoming a winner.
Can’t agree KJ, so every kid should choose the Manchester’s or Chelsea? Poor advice. Let’s be honest RVP is 29, this is probably his final big deal. Arsenal rightly or wrongly doesn’t pay huge wages – he went for the money. Arsenal has done more in the off-season the Man U and City.
I didn’t tell him to choose a big club. He can be a small club fan all he wants, nothing wrong with that. The point is being an Arsenal fan is more difficult.
I hear you KJ….Good advice to give the lad….The cannon’s are not firing over north London any longer are they? More like pop-guns in the wind. The real roar this year will be “TWENTY!…TWENTY.!”…off in the distance to the north.
City still has a few more to go before they hit 20.
How many?….17….”that’s a fact”.
I’m a huge fan of you guys, but this is incredibly premature. Arsenal have been very active in the transfer window so far, and there’s no reason why they can’t go out and buy a Llorente or Huntelaar or someone else to help fill that void with the money they got from RvP’s departure.
It wouldn’t be worth the drama to keep him around for the last year, and Darren Dein wouldn’t have let that happen. Besides, if we had won the league with him leaving on a Bosman immediately after, us Gooners would still be giving him shit because it would make his reasons for leaving that much more transparent.
Wenger today “we have already replaced him”. There is no chance you will get any of those players you mentioned.
Head games. Not like he’s averse to those.
But can Arsenal realistically attract “world class” talents to their squad these days? I don’t think so. Yes Arsenal have been quite active in the market so far, but the RVP void I feel is not something that can be filled quite easily. You suggested that they could by a Llorente or a Huntelaar. Neither of those players (if courted by AFC) would want to go there. Not because of their wage demands, but because of their desire to win trophies. Until Arsenal put their foot down, keep their great players and win trophies, they will not attract world class talents to their club.
Why wouldn’t Llorente want to go to Arsenal (not saying we should sign him)? Cazorla did.
Because he has apparently agreed personal terms with Juve, a club where he will be a star and win multiple league titles and be in a position to compete for the Champions League. As opposed to Arsenal where like Kj said, you’ve got finishing top 4 to look forward to and your season is over by February
In 2012, winning the Serie A is like winning Ligue 1. Who cares?
Fair enough, but I think if you were actually winning those titles you might see it differently. And there’s also my point about contending for the champions league as well
Arsenal has never been a club that has bought “world class” players. We have maybe bought one big name in the time I can remember and that is Bergkamp. He came at a time when no one wanted to come to Arsenal and in the end it paid off. We nurture are players and they become world class, its just been unfortunate that these set of players leave. Like KJ said, you offer players one of two things (or both), trophies or money, currently we cannot offer either. But I do believe that IF Wenger can reinvest some of the RVP money, we will challenge for the title. We are a more balanced team than we were last season. We were way to reliant on RVP’s goals. Cheer up gooners, and stick behind the team come Saturday, regardless what people say or write.
Simplistic, self congratulatory and tired journalism. I think you’ll see a very different Arsenal approach and end of season result his season, finger on lips, hush…
care to say how this is simplistic, self-congratulatory or tired journalism shithead? Why don’t you elaborate before just making sweeping statements about a highly reputable sports journalist…
well-written and insightful as always KJ.
This is the first opinion-piece I’ve read that’s talked about how detrimental it would be for arsenal to lose van persie despite making money, and what implications it has for Arsenal’s future.
Does any arsenal fan really think that 24 mill is going to be invested in a replacement for a world-class forward…? And what does this mean for Song, or Koscielny or Vermaelen next season? Those are in my mind, our only ‘near” world-class talents we’ve got left. Anyone think any of those players are gonna hang around and watch Man City and Chelsea and Man U win it all while Arsenal continue being mediocre…c’mon already accept it, this beloved club is going to have yet another mediocre year…today’s a dark day in arsenal’s history. But being the dedicated fan I am I will continue to support this club blindly.
I misunderstood KJ, I get your point. As an AFC fan I wish the club would be more honest with fans. AW said Podolski and Giroud weren’t RVP replacements now he says he’s done buying. Pretty disingenuous. Fans need to realize AW and Gazidis have their philosophy and it isn’t changing. Sad for a team that makes so much $$$.
Common KJ…they’re worse clubs to follow than Arsenal. It would be much easier for someone to become a fan now anyways…no inflated expectations.
My expectations for Arsenal have steadily gone down ever since Nasri and Fabregas left. I’ve learned to adapt as a fan and still enjoy watching Arsenal play. Wegner puts together a decent team and they play good football.
Who is this crazy Gooner you know that makes you hate them so much? :)
Sorry, I really do not hate them. I want them to do well. No one wants to see the same teams over and over succeed.
KJ might not think this but this really is a troll post. Telling a child not to be an Arsenal fan? Really. It might be a good piece of business, to sell a 29 year old for 22+ million but no Arsenal fan is celebrating this sale. Arsenal Football Club can and will move on. No man, a man with a chocolate leg that broke every year for 6 years, is bigger than the club. Wenger was proactive this season, bringing in 3 bonifide internations. Arsenal will succeed.
Gooners are like leafs fans….happy to let their team underachieve. The fact is Wenger has not got it done in 7 years….RVP is right to want out of that environment. If AW was smart he would go to PSG himself and let a fresh gaffer take over the Arsenal.
Not winning something in 7 years (and still playing in the Champs league, ie, “making the playoffs”) is not the same as not winning since 1967. Can’t you count?
Go support Aston Villa then Kristian! We don`t need fickle fans supporting the gunners
I think Arsenal are going to surprise a lot of people this year and challenge for the title. The only postion I would like to see them add to is a better backup RB, besides that I really like the team. Losing RVP is not a bad thing, in truth I think it was best move once he made it clear he wasn’t resigning.
I remember the same freak out when Henry and Vieira were sold at the same age. Fact is they were never the same again. Nor are the overwhelming majority of players when they get to this age. 30 is the beginning of the end.
I’m a fan of yours Kristian but this post had angered me a lot (as an Arsenal fan). I would take Cazorla, Poldolski, Giroud and 24m more over RVP any day. We are still showing ambition. van Persie played 1.5 good years for Arsenal out of 8 and then leaves for our rival after Wenger stuck by him.
I agree. Losing Fabregas hurt Arsenal worse than anything else ever could
Arsenal had the option to NOT sell RVP to a rival.
Bad business
Well, that is not a bad business at all. Imagine keeping him for another year (plus his potential injury time on top), he will still leave for either City or United the year after. The difference now is that Arsenal are £24m richer and ManU are £24mil more into the red.
Should also note that depending on terms and contract length, Man U has another 30-40 million GBP committed in Salary to RVP. If he stays healthy, an excellent investment, if he does not, well that is a lot of money no longer available to them.
Break a leg Robin…(tongue in cheek)
Yeah…he may trip over all the silverware on his way to the dressing room.
or get done by Scholes in training.
Now that’s a possibility! Cheers mate.
I love it when KJ says “no chance” as if he’s in the board rooms of all of these clubs.
What if RvP gets injured? Anyone who says that they “know” what Wenger is planning to do next is a liar.
Sad day for Arsenal but we’ll pull through.
Not blaming RvP for this is similar to not blaming Tevez for the stuff he did at City. If you can get away with it it’s moral, right?
What a lemon. LOL
If I could afford out I would lay thousands on arsenal finishing above the manc scum this season. We are stronger without RVP plus cazorla, podolski and giroud
like… where is the like tab?
“‘In Arsene We Trust’ members will rejoice today that they sold a 29-year-old player for 24 million pounds…”
How many of “us” do you see rejoicing?
Moronic article. Just because you happen to be in the (minority) group that wants to emulate City doesn’t mean you should spout nonsense. Including pretend stories about children and their mothers.
So the reason to follow Newcastle, Everton, Liverpool, Tottenham, or Aston Villa is because they don’t have world class players to lose in the first place?
Arsenal should give everybody that has 2 years or less on their contract a new 5 year deal. Problem solved.
Calm down, everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, mr jack isn’t telling the kid to cheer for teams that only win , he is simply saying pick a club that has and knows its identity. Meaning, if the club wants to feed the fans that arsenal is “ambitious” then the club needs to prove it. Players are leaving arsenal and we as arsenal fans want to get on the players and not face the problem head-on; there’s a problem in the board. I don’t know about u lot but someone between the arsenal board and van persie isn’t “ambitious enough”, pick your choice. doesn’t it show that RVP is more ambitious than our football club board members if he can’t settle for our “club model/way of thinking” because it hasn’t yielded a damn trophy in 8 years? Riddle me that. Yes he was injured, yes he never had a season like last year before but we as arsenal fans really have to start pointing fingers somewhere else. Quality players will always want to play with other quality players, if arsenal can’t keep it’s quality players because of its “club model/ philosophy then who are we to blame a man that wants trophies and knows there are other clubs who share his ambition on the same level as he does.?let’s have a hard look in the mirror arsenal fans and ask ourselves if we have been brain washed by our financially stable club model vs the truth, there are players like nasri(money, if trophies come through that route then it’s an added bonus) and there are players like RVP (trophies ).
as an Arsenal fan I agree with pretty much everything…
expect 2 things…
1. we can do much better with our current budget (wage bill) and have potential to increase it.. 1st part is Wenger’s job and second mktg department… and already there have been some improvements..
2. to say that RVP is leaving with only one FA cup and not say that it might have something to do with him as well is not honest… he sure would have come in handy in that 07/08 season when we were really close..
Why have so many people missed the point of this article???
Because quite a few are partisan Arsenal fans and stopped reading or thinking after “don’t be an Arsenal fan”
KJ, isn’t your statement “Sure, their signings this summer have made them stronger but with Van Persie in that team they were good enough to challenge the two Manchester clubs for the title” at odds with the thesis you are presenting?
Sounds more like KJ is saying one step forward, one step back….
As a Gooner, I’m slightly embarrassed (ONLY SLIGHTLY) by the reactions of some of you guys. Let’s be serious, this team is NOT winning the league this year, despite our desired wishes for them to do so.
There’s no reason to rant and rave and name call, because someone without red and white spectacles can see the truth. Some of us Arsenal fans are a bit too loyal, and a handful are just completely blind to the facts.
We have the world’s 28th richest man on our board, with an estimated worth of US$18.1 billion, yet this team refuses to utilize said resources.
Before you know it, QPR will be nipping out our heels… London-based club with a ridiculously rich owner, Tony Fernandes is 20th on the Forbes list.
Well, at least we’ll have Liverpool to keep us company. Bring on the Euro League!!! :)
Amber Alert! Keep your children away from KJ.
KJ,
Love your commentary usually. Have to say the bit about “Don’t become an Arsenal fan” is a little mystifying for a youngster. Whatever flaws Wenger has, he always runs out a team that play beautiful football with a highly skilled group, although now you have some clubs starting to work the ball better (Swansea). Youth in Canada should be encouraged to at least try to play like this instead of the old Route 1 which still has too many followers in “The Best League In the World”. They do need more discipline at the back end, I can’t count the number of games they lost 2 or 3 points in the last 3 minutes or in injury time (so yes, it has been frustrating to be a fan), but there aren’t many teams in the BPL who play at that level consistently.
Call me a capitalist, but I would rather profit from a player who has voiced he doesn’t want to be there then stick with him and his side show for a year only to see him walk to Manchester anyways.
If we don’t sell him, then the reports say “Stupid Stubborn Arsenal, Waste Sale Opportunity” like they have before. It’s a lose lose for Wenger. He’s a business man, and this was a smart business decision (rival or not).
As for RvP. Lets not put him in the same class as Na$ri or Cesc. They atleast made consistent “service” for the club. RvP gave us one glorious season and left. I’ll be praying for injury, a thank you.
I haven’t heard it from anyone yet, but what is the under/over on the number of games that RVP plays for United this year? 20? 25? Last year was an abberation for him to actually finish the whole season what are the chances of that happening again. If not for that I could see Wellbeck and Chicarito gnashing their teeth at being stuck behind Rooney and RVP, at least with Rooney they know he will miss games through suspension.
KJ – bang on!
As a massive arsenal fan and Arsene fan I will stick by my team. It is about supporting them through and through. But the 24 mil is nothing in the grand scheme of things. If we struggle to make the Champions League, who will care about the transfer fee (getting in to the Champs is 25 mill alone let alone progressing far in the tournament itself). Then there is the $$ to be had from success. That is immeasurable. To be this was shortsideness. sayng he had no choice is bull. He had a choice, he chose the $$ instead of the potential glory.
This is the most uninspired, anti-Arsenal trolling blog post I’ve ever read.
Telling a kid not to follow Arsenal because of some ‘identity crisis’?!
Go and report some Serie A with Jimmy Sherman you grumpy old man.