Van Persie: Hero Or Traitor?

"I took the number 20 shirt because I'm here to win a 20th title with United", were the words of Dutch striker Robin Van Persie upon signing for Manchester United from rivals Arsenal in 2012. What makes this statement special is
that, this turned out not to be your everyday wish or dream but a prophesy which he fulfilled season end. Also Van Persie did not just help United win the league, rather he single handed won it for them all by himself as statistics show.

Van Persie will continue to have divided opinions about himself, depending on whose side you are. Arsenal fans refer to him as a "Traitor" while neutrals and Manchester United fans may call him an "Icon of the game". Van Persie joined Arsenal in the winter of 2004 from Dutch side Feyenoord aged 21 for a bargain £2.75 million at that time. From 2004-2009, he never fulfilled his potentials all due to persistent injuries and was even rated behind Emmanuel Adebayo and Jose Antonio Reyes in the pecking order at that time.

It was in the 2011/2012 season that Van Persie came to life after replacing Cesc Fabregas as Club Captain. He would go on to score 35 league goals in a calendar year, just one short of Alan Shearer's (Newcastle United) premier league record. Van Persie did not end there as he finished the season as top scorer with 30 goals and became Arsenal's 8th all time top scorer with 132 goals ahead of greats like Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires and Freddie Ljunberg. It was widely expected that he would extend his contract with Arsenal as a sign of gratitude for standing by him all his injury years. Van Persie thought otherwise as he dropped the bomb shell saying " I always listen to the little boy inside of me in these situations when you have to make harder decisions in life. What does he want? That boy was screaming for Man United. From my side , and Arsenal as  well, there are no bad feelings. There were certain elements which were vital to me that we had a different view. That is life. Nobody is angry at me and I'm not angry at them", he concluded. This statement would go on to haunt him later in his career. Considering Van Persie joined Arsenal on similar circumstances from Feyenoord, many football analysts were not surprised that he would later join Manchester United. Also Arsenal made a whopping £21.75 million net profit from him considering he was bought for a £2.25 million and sold for £24 million at the old age of 29 years.

In the 2012/2013 season, Van Persie would go on to net 26 league goals in 38 matches creating 71 chances with an 80% pass accuracy and an average pass length of 17m. Van Persie was the difference between Manchester United and the rest of the premier league teams. He had finally won the trophy he so much cherished and it would have been unjust to him and the premier league if he retired without doing so.

Sir Alex Ferguson will go on at the end of the season to retire without giving Van Persie a prior knowledge of his plans. That was where the problems started for the striker. He has never been the same again in subsequent managers David Moyes and compatriot Louis Van Gaal and it is only proper that he moves  on to another club  with an eye on first team football for the upcoming Euro 2016 in France.

The question still remains if Van Persie would have been a better player without winning the premier league , thus referring to his moving to Manchester United from Arsenal? He would have simply gone the same way premier league greats like Robbie Fowler, David Ginola , Steven Gerard ended  up without a premier league trophy. It is only hypocritical for Arsenal fans to call him a "Traitor" for leaving when they same fans are jubilating and celebrating over the recent signing of Petr Cech from Chelsea. Therefore can Cech also become a "Traitor" given that he moved from Chelsea to Arsenal?

Van Persie if he eventually moves to Fenerbache as reported even has a greater chance of a more silverware in Turkey than he could have had in Arsenal although the status of the trophy comes to question, given that one cannot compare the English premier league to the Turkish league. The only regret is that the English premier league will miss his mesmerising goals and celebrations. It still doesn't deduce the fact that Van a Persie is a player that divides opinions between fans.