Arsenal

Robin Van Persie: I'm Not The Arsenal Saboteur!

Robin van Persie insists that he's not the one who indirectly lost William Gallas the Arsenal captaincy...

Dec 2, 2008 8:54:56 AM

Robin Van Persie, Arsenal - Sevilla (PA)

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Robin Van Persie, Arsenal - Sevilla (PA)

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William Gallas was recently stripped of the Arsenal captaincy. At the centre of the row, of course, was his tabloid-friendly exposé into Arsenal's behind-the-scenes rifts.

The under-fire Frenchman hinted that there was one unmanageable troublemaker lurking at the Emirates; one who was 25-years-old and wouldn't respect his authority.

Who could it be? Emmanuel Eboué? Eduardo da Silva? Bacary Sagna? Not likely. Perhaps flamboyant 24-year-old Emmanuel Adebayor had a thing or two to say to Gallas? Seemingly not.

No, most fingers have pointed at Dutch striker Robin van Persie, who happens to be riding high as the Gunners' hero at the moment after his match-winning brace against Chelsea.

However, Van Persie has denied that he's Gallas' gremlin and has sought to clear his name.

Quizzed by journalists, he said: "Are you suggesting that William was talking about me?

"I don't know that... he never told me anything and I didn't see my name in the papers, so I never felt that he was speaking about me.

"For me, there isn't a problem."

It's unlikely the culprit will raise his hand at this point and, perhaps, it's none of our business. Arsene Wenger will have to hope that, by handing the armband to young Cesc Fabregas, he's ushered in a new era of maturity under a young leader.

Greg Ptolomey, Goal.com