Van Persie: I’m happy at United, I like working with Moyes, and I could stay for life
Robin van Persie has dismissed speculation that he could leave Manchester United this summer after falling out with David Moyes, and claimed that he could spend the rest of his top-flight career at Old Trafford.
Van Persie fired United to the Barclays Premier League title in his first season at the club following a £24million move from Arsenal, but has struggled to hit the same heights since Moyes replaced Sir Alex Ferguson as manager.
It has led to suggestions that the Holland striker could be sold at the end of the season with Moyes planning a major overhaul of the squad and Edinson Cavani among his top targets.
But Van Persie, 30, says he wants to see out the remaining two years of his contract and may even follow Wayne Rooney by signing a new one.
‘The truth is I’m very happy here at this club,’ he claims in an interview with the club’s official match programme for Sunday’s clash with Liverpool.
‘I signed for four years and I’d be delighted to stay even longer, beyond the next two years I have left on my contract. This is how I feel, although it’s not what has been suggested.’
It has been claimed that Van Persie felt let down by Ferguson’s sudden retirement and is unimpressed by Moyes’s training methods.
The Dutchman has played in just over half United’s games this season due to injury and been criticised over his lack of understanding with Rooney.
Van Persie appeared to hint at discord after the Champions League defeat to Olympiacos last month by telling Dutch TV that his teammates ‘sometimes occupy the spaces I want to play in’, and then looked unhappy to be taken off by Moyes at West Brom last weekend when he was in danger of being sent off.
But he insists the two men have a good relationship and the situation has been misinterpreted.
‘I don’t mind if my performances get dissected and people criticise what I’ve done on the pitch,’ added Van Persie.
‘They can talk about my game 24/7 for all I care and a lot of those opinions and criticisms may actually be right.
‘Talk about my performances or talk about a tackle that was too late. I don’t mind. But it goes too far when people start suggesting, amongst other things, that I have a bad understanding with the manager. That’s not true at all.
‘There is mutual respect between us and the work environment is actually good. He really wants things to work here at Manchester United and I want the same, just like the other players.
‘What I need to address are the situations when people are taking it upon themselves to think for me, make assumptions, or interpret things as if they are me.
‘Last time I checked my head was still attached to my body, so I’m the only one who knows exactly what I’m feeling.
‘I’m very happy with my teammates and I’m very happy with my manager and his staff. The sessions we have on the training ground are fantastic and I’m learning a lot from them every day.
‘I really enjoy working under him and I’m absolutely convinced things will pick up and we’ll turn it around.’
ROBIN VAN PERSIE FULL TRANSCRIPT
I don’t do a lot of interviews. In fact, I think you can count my interviews this season on one hand, so maybe it’s the case that when I do speak people want to turn it into something sensational. I don’t mind that — it’s part of the business we are in.
I don’t mind if my performances get dissected and people criticise what I’ve done on the pitch. They can talk about my game 24/7 for all I care… and a lot of those opinions and criticisms may actually be right. So I don’t mind that.
What I need to address are the situations when people are taking it upon themselves to think for me, make assumptions, or interpret things as if they are me. Last time I checked my head was still attached to my body, so I’m the only one who knows exactly what I’m feeling and that is not what I or the fans have been reading.
The truth is I’m very happy here at this club. I signed for four years and I’d be delighted to stay even longer, beyond the next two years I have left on my contract. This is how I feel, although it’s not what has been suggested in the media.
I’m very happy with my team-mates and I’m very happy with my manager and his staff. The sessions we have on the training ground are fantastic and I’m learning a lot from them every day. I’ve been a professional footballer for 12 years now and there’s no doubt I’m learning new things and progressing with David Moyes.
Over the last few years I’ve started to look more closely at the way coaches work to learn from them – not just here at the club but with the international team as well. I’ve worked with some brilliant coaches and I’ve taken a real interest in all the methods they use and the choices they make. And I can tell you that Moyes’ sessions and the things he says in his team meetings are spot-on. I really enjoy working under him and I’m absolutely convinced things will pick up and we’ll turn it around.
I know I probably only see about 10 per cent of what’s written about me, but the things I have read recently aren’t based on the truth. Like I said, talk about my performances or talk about a tackle that was too late. I don’t mind. But it goes too far when people start suggesting, amongst other things, that I have a bad understanding with the manager. That’s not true at all. There is mutual respect between us and the work environment is actually good. He really wants things to work here at Manchester United and I want the same, just like the other players. We’re all working hard to make this work.
—Daily Mail