Walcott: 'Robin wanted to fight me there and then'
Theo Walcott has revealed that he came to blows with former team-mate Robin van Persie on several occasions while the Dutchman was at Arsenal.
Walcott explained the head to head encounters in his autobiography Growing Up Fast which was published almost two years ago, although much of its contents has never been seen on the internet.
Dutch striker van Persie, who joined Manchester United in August 2012, had various discipline problems during his early years at Arsenal and Walcott’s comments emphasise some of the tensions once present in the Gunners camp.
“When we got back into the dressing room at the break, Robin made it obvious he wasn’t happy. And I was the reason he wasn’t happy. I wasn’t passing the ball enough, apparently. I wasn’t being a team player, apparently. I was intent on being an individual, on playing for myself, apparently.
“It wasn’t the first time he’d had a go at me. During the Amsterdam Tournament (2007) he accused me of wasting the ball and ignoring him when he thought I should have passed to him. He was pretty hyped up because he was on home soil and he wanted to put on a good show in front of his countrymen. He didn’t like it when I ignored what he was saying.
‘I am never ever going to pass you the ball again!’ he yelled at me.
‘You’re a big man then, aren’t you!’ I responded.
“Robin wanted to fight me there and then, and it was the same in the dressing room at the Emirates during the game against Spurs. He was shouting at me and he went absolutely nuts. There were people holding him back because he wanted to get at me. I think part of the reason Robin got so angry was that he was surprised I had answered him back in front of everyone else. He wasn’t having any of it.
“There was no lingering resentment on my part and none on Robin’s. Exchanges like that happen at football clubs all the time.”
Thats when you know you have winners in your team. Walcotts lucky it wasnt Vieira or Keown there!
No, that’s when you know you have nobs on your team.
How big and fragile an ego do you need to have to go after a team-mate for ‘daring’ to answer back?
That’s playground bully BS. No wonder he and old red nose got along so well.
This English idea of writing hypes of nonsense is actually robbing England the much needed professionals. For goodness sake what has Theo achieved in the game that is worth writing or reminding people of? Just few days ago Alexis Sanchez came up with a damning interview about English ways of exposing her young talents without actually taking them through the rigours of life. Instead of responding to Sanchez’s damning interview by ensuring he was kept quiet, he was allowed to punish them.
i think highlighting bullying is something worth talking about. Sanchez talking rubbish about easy life. Problems are the way children are taught to play at young age
I think its important for a team to have such characters, even though theo might have not liked it, i think the encounter brought out the best in him and the rest of the team, Besides he emphasises on team play and i think thats reasonable.
Personally I think RVP let us down after sticking by him for 8 injury plagued seasons after which he has one outstanding season then decides he’s too good for us#mercenary
Wenger has been choosing skipper wrongly throughout his reign.