Robin van Persie: Human Factor Will Make It Hard to Leave Arsenal FC

That's right, I said it. Robin van Persie is a human. In fact, most footballers appear to be so. 

For the past few weeks, which have been filled with mole-hill speculation by writers everywhere about the future of the Arsenal striking talisman, many articles have been published with a suggestion that RVP would be moving this summer to fulfill "personal ambitions" and get paid more money. I can't really vouch for the credibility of these rumors, as that's all that they are, and I believe that those who start them seem to skip the factor that I mentioned above. The human factor.

The Human Factor

The Human Factor is that little part of a footballer's brain that contains what we lowly earthlings call "feelings". Feelings are a bit hard to explain, so I'll boorishly assume (and hope) that the reader is familiar with them. At Arsenal, Robin van Persie's feelings are beautiful. He lives in a beautiful house with a beautiful wife and two beautiful kids. He plays beautiful football for a beautiful club--which he captains. The beautiful fans of his beautiful club worship him. 

Tell me, thee humans, does this sound to you like a bad situation? Maybe his paycheck could be augmented, but Arsenal are willing and able to do that. So why leave?

Personal Ambitions

This translates to two things: trophies and money. They've driven away countless Arsenal players over the past few years. It is true that Arsenal's beloved club captain has yet to win a major piece of silverware in his career.

Silverware legitimizes a footballer's accomplishments. Trophies are a tangible representation of victory and glory. They are the ultimate goal of every club and player. So, for a player to be truly considered one of the best, he has to have won a trophy with his club and/or country. This applies to all sports—ask LeBron. 

Robin van Persie is speculated to be leaving Arsenal in order to win trophies. The footballer needs trophies.

However, the human needs much more than trophies. The human needs to feel good, and needs to feel at home. The human doesn't always (or usually) feel keen on displacing their whole family to go live in a place where they'll have to learn a new language and develop a whole new social life. The human needs comfort. The human needs to feel important and wanted, and to be treated warmly. 

Robin van Persie has been made out to be a kind leader over the past year, but up until then, he was known to have a prominent ego. That cockiness is still there under the shell of responsibility, and to jump into a bigger pond where he'll be a smaller fish would not suit that confidence. It just wouldn't be enjoyable for the captain to lose standing, and I'm sure that he would note that when making a decision on his future. 

Not to mention, Van Persie's family members have said themselves that they'd prefer him to remain an Arsenal player. The missus can be very convincing. 

With all said, I believe that Van Persie wants to stay at Arsenal. The only reason that he's playing media games is that he also wants to win trophies, and is clumsily trying to force Arsenal to make the signings that "show ambition". Of course, in truth, as the captain he should be taking the lead by signing and showing that ambition himself and so attract good players, but that's not the way that it's happened. All we gooners can do is hope that the signings are made and the contract extended. 

Goonerdom will wait with cautious optimism.