Tuesday 9 September 2014 12:18, UK
Robin van Persie is looking forward to playing alongside Manchester United’s new signings and has no doubts that the team will perform well.
United finished a disappointing seventh in the Premier League last season and have begun the new campaign slowly under new boss Louis van Gaal, collecting just two points from their opening three games and losing 4-0 to Milton Keynes Dons in the Capital One Cup.
However, United have been busy in the transfer market to try and ensure they bounce back quickly, spending around £150million on new players.
That feeling, that we are going to perform well, has only got stronger after the buying of players over the last weeks. I find it very exciting, the arrival of all those new players.
Deadline day loan signing Radamel Falcao has also followed the likes of Angel di Maria, Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind, Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw into the club this summer, and Van Persie is convinced United will enjoy success again.
“I can’t wait to go and train and play with the world class players we have signed - wow!” said Van Persie, quoted in the Daily Mirror.
“That feeling, that we are going to perform well, has only got stronger after the buying of players over the last weeks. I find it very exciting, the arrival of all those new players.
“For me personally, it’s brilliant to go and play with some of the best players in the world. It’s great that I can go and train and play with them every day.’’
There has been a lot of scrutiny of Van Gaal’s formation in the early weeks of the season but Van Persie insists there can be no more excuse for United and says it is the responsibility of the players to adapt to what the manager wants.
“It’s plain and simple,” he said. “The manager chooses his tactics. We, the players, have nothing else to do than to execute what the manager has in his mind.
“Tactics and formation are matters of the manager and his staff, not something the players must get involved in.
“We, the players, have not been educated as coaches. We are players, we play. I don’t think we should even want to get involved in tactical discussions.’
“As captain of Holland I may have the right to get involved in tactical discussions, but even there I choose not to.’’ [Whether it’s] 4-3-3, 3-5-2, nothing can be an excuse for another defeat.
“We have to adapt to every manager. There’s not one way or method in football.’’
I want to go to the World Cup when I am 35, I want to play professional football until I am 40.
Van Persie turned 31 last month but does not feel as if he is coming towards the end of his career and still hopes to go to the next World Cup, before playing on until he is 40.
“It’s not enough,” he insisted. “I want to go on as long as possible. I want to go to the World Cup when I am 35, I want to play professional football until I am 40.
“Most probably, it will be for a less famous club by then, but I do want to play as long as I can. Every target I have set myself up until today in my career I have reached. So I am going to get the other targets, too.”
