Manchester United’s ex-hotshot Robin van Persie is having something of a shocker at Fenerbahce.
His form dropped off considerably in his last season in The Premier League but many had assumed that the slower pace and slightly lower quality in the Turkish league would allow him to roll back the years and score for fun.
But it hasn’t turned out that way so far and the player hit a new low at the weekend when he was benched in the aftermath of a Europa League defeat to Molde.
Since Van Persie has joined Fenerbahce from Manchester United, he has seen his new side get eliminated from The Champions League at the qualifying stage and his own form suffer.
His team sits top of the league after 5 games but RvP had only found the net once before coming off the bench to score at the weekend.
And one of the Premier League greats doesn’t appear best pleased. He is quoted as saying:
‘To be honest, I am not very happy at this moment,’ he told Lig TV after the match.
‘I was not happy that I started on the bench. I am fully fit, physically very well and able to play for 90 minutes.
‘The only right answer I could give was with what I did: helping the team to get the victory.’
His coach was vague in his defence of the benching of Van Persie when he explained:
‘I would play more players if we were allowed to play 22 or 25 players.
‘The players can like or not like what I do, but I must take decisions. I am happy with Van Persie’s performance after being brought on to the pitch.
With Holland also having a nightmare at the moment RvP could well be scapegoated at this point in his career.
Now 32 years of age his pace is deserting him and he doesn’t seem quite as able to rely on his ruthless finishing as he did in the past.
We wonder what the future holds for the man who won Manchester United the title in 2013.
