• Fabregas signed memorabilia
  • Carlos Vela Mexico World Cup Jersey
  • Arsenal Jerseys
  • Arsenal Home Kit 2008/10
Latest from The Gunning Hawk:
Home » NewsNow, Players

Robin van Persie: Why Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp were special

Written by Renzo on May 12, 2011 – 4:45

Arsenal Interactive - Player RatingsRobin van Persie

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie confessed that he learned a lot from the Invincibles when he joined the Gunners from Feyenoord.

Speaking to Arsenal TV Online, the 27-year old explained it was a dream coming true to play alongside great players like Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and Patrick Vieira, a great experience that he loved even when he came on as a late substitute in the second half.

On what made these legends special, the Dutchman declared that the way they trained and played is almost impossible to describe with words as their passion and the amount of respect they had for the game was a lesson for him when he was young.

On the Invincibles, van Persie said:

It was a dream coming true for me to play with Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry, [Robert] Pires, [Patrick] Vieira, I loved it, I loved every single training session, every single game, even if the boss gave me two minutes, as Dennis Bergkamp substitute.

I was still proud to come on for Dennis Bergkamp and play for Arsenal, I was really proud to wear that shirt.

That’s where everything started for me, I was so convinced about myself and the faith the boss had in me that we were working together on this.

The most important things with [big players] is the way they trained and played. For me it was really important, just to look at them sometimes.

Words are not as strong as actions and their actions were so strong, giving 100%, treating football with the highest amount of respect. That was the biggest lesson for me overall, just being around, being surrounded by them.

Share this Gunning Hawk article:
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon

  • Kay says:
    May 12, 2011 at 6:24

    I agree with your there. We have players that don’t deserve to wear the jersey. You can see the passion with rvp unlike some of our younger players that only think of themselves.

    Reply to this comment »
    • dannygunnerdimovski says:
      May 13, 2011 at 3:15

      Very true, out of our whole squad Van Persie is the only one who every week comes out and says he adores Arsenal and it is a dream come true to play for Arsenal.
      Which other Arsenal player currently even comes remotely close to Van Persie’s commitment to Arsenal both on and off the pitch?
      Compare this to say the Invincibles era and you have Henry, Bergkamp, Vieira, Pires, Ljunberg, Campbell, and the list goes on.

      One example I believe, albeit maybe a bit difficult to understand, Cesc’s solo goal from kickoff against Tottenham last season, the way he scored, the way he celebrated.
      I simply cannot see him doing that now for Arsenal, his commitment has diminished :(

      Reply to this comment »
      • james says:
        May 13, 2011 at 22:28

        The difference is… all the players that played for the invincibles, if asked would say that given the choice to play for anyone, they would say arsenal, regardless of where we were in the table, or in europe, where as now.. if the same question is asked to our players (ignoring van persie) a good few of our players would say barca or madrid.

        Reply to this comment »
  • Charlie says:
    May 12, 2011 at 6:25

    “Bendtner, what do you feel about working with Robin Van Persie ?”

    “I think he’s the managers’ pet because i am better than him and i would be the biggest player that Arsenal has ever seen if i was played in every game of every season.”

    “Mr Bendtner i think you need to take your head out of the clouds and realise that you can learn a lot from others before your career spirals into oblivion”.

    We all know that Robin is the consumate professional and the thing that most great players have in common is a hunger to always be learning.

    Reply to this comment »
    • o shane says:
      May 12, 2011 at 10:29

      I think Bendner is not good player. Even i am better than him and I am not that good.Bendner and Wenger needs to go.

      Reply to this comment »
  • tommy says:
    May 12, 2011 at 7:06

    2010-2011: With 11 games to go the title was in our hands. We’ve won once in seven and now the title is gone.
    2009-2010: With seven games to go we were two points adrift. We won one of our next six and finished 11 behind Chelsea.
    2007-2008: We were five points clear with 12 to play. We won one of our next eight.

    This is what needs to be fixed. When Keown was around he was able to make Senderos etc into decent defenders that got us to the CL final. Since he left we have been utter crap

    from Wikipedia: “He (Keown) has been identified by former Arsenal manager Terry Neill as a key figure behind the success of Arsenal’s inexperienced “new-look” defence (which the team resorted to after ongoing injury problems in the 2005/06 season, notably setting a record for minutes played without conceding in the Champions League)

    How can Wenger continue to allow these defensive horror shows when there is a solution so close????? Wenger has alot of questions to answer.

    And no offence to RVP but all these players spouting off about Henry and Bergkamp etc etc etc need to be reminded of the statistics at the top of this comment and shut up and put pressure on Wenger themselves if need be like Cesc to get this sorted out before we become more of a joke than we already are

    Reply to this comment »
    • Mike Kenya says:
      May 12, 2011 at 7:59

      Thats the problem, the current crop of players can only play 25 games a season and they collapse!!!
      AW must work on the defence or else he goes with Bendtner, Almunia, Clichy, Gibbs, and Denilson

      Reply to this comment »
    • Goonster says:
      May 12, 2011 at 18:00

      I am speculating and reading very heavily between the lines, but do you think it is possible that RvP is talking about these players and their role in his development as a diplomatic way of requesting Wenger find a few of these types again. RvP is too respectful to his club and manager to come out and say, “The reason why we haven’t won anything in 6 yrs is because we don’t have enough winners on the team.” Instead, he points to the most successful era for the club and highlights what made that team so great: great players. We need one player in the defense, and I don’t care what position from CDM, CB, FB, or Keeper, who knows what winning feels like and can instill the confidence in the rest back there that they will win. Right now whenever there is pressure, you can see it all over the pitch in body language and on their faces that ever Gunner is thinking, “Please, let’s not concede” instead of “No problem. We can handle this.” We need a player for the rest of the team to lean on in those moments. Someone to carry us through that time in a match. Right now, it’s not there. In the future it will be Woj, but right now there is no one standing up and pull it all together.

      Reply to this comment »
      • tommy says:
        May 12, 2011 at 21:06

        Yeah I think RVP and Nasri and Cesc have all said this to varying degrees and in different ways. They want to win and would sacrifice tippy tappy football to do it

        Reply to this comment »
  • RvP10 says:
    May 12, 2011 at 8:48

    25 games we have no issues with the defence – just the later part of the season.. This is garbage..

    I am not saying we dont have defensive problem but it is not just the defenders.. its the whole team that cant take freakn pressure.. we also cant score many goals, create many goals in the later stage of the season.. This cud be becoz of young age and weak mentality, because of fatigue or injuries etc…and No luck…

    against the birmingam- CC final – it all started this season..

    Previous seasons it was bad injury to a player- key player(s)… Not just defence…

    we can also win games by scoring more.. but we dont.. last 10 games – rvP has been scoring kajority of the goals???/

    Reply to this comment »
  • beck says:
    May 12, 2011 at 9:40

    i,m sorry but the title is never in your hands until it is won.with 11 games to go this season we were a point behind utd who had a game in hand
    09/10 with 7 games to go we were 3 points in front of chelsea but they had 2 games in hand
    and 1point in front of united but they had a game in hand
    07/08 we did not lose the title with 12 to play at birmingham had we won at old trafford 4 games from the end of the season we would have won the title we finished 4 points adrift
    liverpools 08/09 season of finishing 4 points behind is classed as nearly winning the title yet ours is seen as a failure? it is a failure but lets have perspective.
    there is certainly a problem with us getting over the line but terms like in our hands are not right.
    every game has to be approached as though it is the most important game of our lives and that must include the fans as well as the team
    the atmo at the emirates was shocking against villa the week after eduardos injury.
    all streaming out v psv, utd champs league and at wembley after the carling cup final is not the best way to show the team that the club is more important than events on the pitch.
    i am desperate to win everything but our job is to get behind the team and stay behind them.
    its the arsenal way
    do your job

    Reply to this comment »
  • abbas gode! says:
    May 12, 2011 at 10:27

    realy RvP deserves to be legend but players like bendtner are to be dismised from the club i hope robin will win more trophies next season

    Reply to this comment »
  • Ray says:
    May 12, 2011 at 10:56

    Wenger, you only saw the $$ factor and never see how a good and establish player can inspire the younger one, didn’t you?

    Let me guess, you completely forgotten how important is the cultural factor in your project.

    Reply to this comment »
  • Tonia Reeves says:
    May 12, 2011 at 11:10

    Van Persie is truly a legend….

    Reply to this comment »
  • Mark says:
    May 12, 2011 at 11:46

    always saying the right things

    Reply to this comment »
  • lance (south africa) says:
    May 12, 2011 at 12:40

    truth is arsenal have a squad with 3-4 losers in the starting line up every week. asharvin was the closest answer to bergkamp. at first he had so much of promise. but training and playing with below than average players such as bendtner,song,diaby,clichy,denilson,almunia,koscielny we have been robbed of a great talent.screw you mr wenger…..

    Reply to this comment »
  • o shane says:
    May 12, 2011 at 12:58

    Wenger and the board need to be changed to suit the fans of Arsenal FC and not just the money that goes in their pockets without really caring about the team

    Reply to this comment »
    • Paddy O'Neill says:
      May 12, 2011 at 14:19

      why don’t players like RVP knock on Wenger’s door and tell him what they think. I read somewhere that Diarra of RM is on his way back – was not that the player that AW let go to Portsmouth. If I remember he was a good DM. Senior players need to tell AW just what they think. Too many yes men there now. And “silent Stan” needs to get a grip or sell his shares to Usmanov, then things will move

      Reply to this comment »
  • jason says:
    May 12, 2011 at 14:50

    Ad Samba and a quality striker to replace Bendtner.

    And the league will be ours.

    Reply to this comment »
  • prince says:
    May 12, 2011 at 17:39

    bendter complaining???
    i think that doesnt make sense.who does he want to replace?RVP?
    that would have been possible if it was only vela that we had as our forward.because i found out,vela likes the bench.

    RVP is an awesome guy with an excellent attitude.He s older, more experience and far better than bendter.if only bendter can wait for his time,it could be his turn.

    at the moment,he should work on his attitude, football skill and personality.I heard he s also dreeamin to replace Messi.

    Reply to this comment »
  • The Shining says:
    May 12, 2011 at 18:22

    It is clear that there has been a massive change of mentality since the Vieiras Henrys and Bergkamps. This crop of players have no idea what it’s like playing for The Arsenal, one of the biggest clubs of Europe. A 21-year old is complaining about not having a starting place over players who are definitely more experienced and talented than him. Wenger fucked up big time on this and the worse is we may not be able to remedy this mindset. Ever. Arsenal will remain a feeder club, training players who ultimately aspire to play elsewhere. If we still had Vieira atleast, I believe he would have continued this cultural factor but no, Wenger pushed him out among with many others who could have continued the lineage. The system has failed. Face the truth Arsenal fans, our reign ended in 2005.

    Reply to this comment »
  • jason says:
    May 12, 2011 at 20:09

    How many of you know that Arsene Wenger got voted Manager of the decade?

    Reply to this comment »
    • Chris says:
      May 12, 2011 at 20:10

      We all do, that doesn’t mean we agree with the decision.

      Reply to this comment »
      • jason says:
        May 12, 2011 at 20:16

        Well its obviously the right decision he won us the double, premier league unbeaten, 49 games unbeaten, fa cup and champions league final.

        And got us a new staduim and built us a new team with youth development.

        But i guess you all think this is the past and Wenger somehow isnt a good Manager anymore i see.

        Reply to this comment »
        • Chris says:
          May 12, 2011 at 20:19

          Don’t force me to write what others managers have done in their managerial careers.

          And yes, if he failed to win anything with his best ever squad, then something is clearly wrong with him.

          Reply to this comment »
        • Dave says:
          May 13, 2011 at 2:20

          I don’t why you keep bragging about Wenger’s youth development, seeing as it hasn’t worked out in six years. We develop poor to mediocre players than players like Wilshere in our youth rank. Your last line when you mentioned “isnt a good Manager anymore”, maybe you’re on to something as the likes of Alex Ferguson, as much I hate that man, is a better manager. Old Red Nose built a team that can challenge for league and CL, even after losing their best world player, while if we lose Cesc, we are in trouble. Wenger mentioned in 2009 that in two years he would have built a team capable of winning titles, now he’s pushing that to ten years, forgetting the six years he had already. And his strange statements on how 2nd place is successful and our team done well this season, just shows that Wenger isn’t as ambitious as he used to be. You can wear your rose-tinted glasses and reminisce about the past, but it’s a fact that he’s no longer this manager that brought us titles years ago.

          Reply to this comment »
        • Hunter says:
          May 13, 2011 at 2:24

          I’m starting to think it was more the players who got us that double and less about the manager.

          Reply to this comment »
          • Dave says:
            May 13, 2011 at 2:31

            You’re on to something there, Hunter. Imagine if he didn’t inherit the back four and goalkeeper from George Graham, I doubt he would have won his first double. Ex-Arsenal players go on about how they were drilled constantly on defending before Wenger arrived. So it’s a good thing back then that the back line were already quality defenders. That’s why an experienced and ready made in the EPL CB is needed in summer because if he brings another inexperience CB in the French league, Wenger won’t be the man to teach him on how to defend.

            Reply to this comment »
      • jason says:
        May 12, 2011 at 20:22

        Sorry two doubles not that anyone cares he did that anymore.

        Reply to this comment »
        • Dave says:
          May 13, 2011 at 2:26

          People still care about that, but how long will that excuse of he won us titles in the past will last if he keeps doing what he’s been doing for the past six years? Are you willing to wait the more ten years he mentioned? The fact that he keeps making the same mistakes and failing to address them season after season, shows that he’s either stubborn or inept to deal with them, something he’s not in the 1st half of his Arsenal career.

          Reply to this comment »
  • wimger says:
    May 12, 2011 at 20:43

    Well said rvp!!wat a proffesional.wat arsenal just need is Benzema,Harzad,Chamberlain,Baines,Cahill and bring all e talented youngstars -then sell Fabregas,Clichy,Arshavin,Denilson,Diaby,Rosicky,Bendner.

    Reply to this comment »
  • Redrooter says:
    May 13, 2011 at 0:38

    RVP is connected! Has to be skipper.
    I agree with Jason: Samba (I don’t understand the fuss about Cahill at all, a poor alternative to Johan Djourou) and… E’to? Drogba? Benzema? (obviously financed by the Fabregas sale).
    I think there should be a major upheaval on the coaching side. My sense is that the youth system is stagnating too. You get the impression that routinism is the order of the day. This would give the whole club a lift.
    BTW, I am often bemused by the many critics of Koscielny. Apart from the obvious CC blunder he has looked a terrific buy to me (could play DMF or LB, as well as stand-in for Vermaelen). Am I wrong?
    I do expect Arsene to make the required changes though, even if, as is most likely, they are not the ones I suggest.

    Reply to this comment »
    • Hunter says:
      May 13, 2011 at 2:26

      In my opinion Cahill is way over rated as is Jagielka. I would take Samba over either of them. I think Samba and Vermaelen would be excellent in the center of defense. He would come way cheaper and tactically is a much better player. He also seems very good at organizing the team and has even played up front when Rovers needed a goal.

      Reply to this comment »
      • jason says:
        May 13, 2011 at 19:36

        Agreed.

        Reply to this comment »
    • -->
    Arsenal-Related Websites
    11 Gunners

    East Lower

    Arsenal Insider

    Carlos Vela News

    Arsenal Highlights

    Cesc Fabregas news, gallery & videos

    Another Arsenal Blog

    Le Grove

    Arsenal Stars of The 70's and 80's

    Gunner Central

    		  Arsenal Brunei

    We Are Arsenal Blog

    Arsenal Station

    Arsenal Opinion: Have your say

    Good Playa

    HidupMatiArsenal

    Other Websites
    The Arsenal No.1 Fan Toy: Sings Five AFC Chants. Dances and Waves His Scarf. The Perfect Gift for Gooners!

    Watch Football: We provide people with news, fixtures, and results for all events of football.

    Players OnTheWeb: Official websites and fan sites of World's best male and female football (soccer) players, freestyle footballers, coaches and futsal stars!

    FootballFanCast.com: News & Blogs

    GRC Books: Publisher specialising in the republication of previously out-of-print Arsenal-related books for the enjoyment of Arsenal fans and lovers of classic football literature.

    Blogosphere
    Sports

    Blog Directory

    		TopOfBlogs

    		Sports blogs

    Sports Blog Directory

    The Soccerlinks Hit List   Football Soccer Topsites List

    Powered by WordPress | Entries (RSS) | Comments (RSS) | Arthemia Premium theme by Colorlabs Project