ROBIN’S STILL ROCKIN’ Six managers in six years and playing for Holland again, Van Persie admits: I’ve made mistakes and have no regrets... although I won’t be playing at 40 as I thought!
ROBIN VAN PERSIE hopes the roller-coaster ride at the end of his career will take him to another World Cup.
The Dutch striker has no regrets about taking himself away from his Arsenal comfort zone to join Manchester United, five years ago.
But, after winning the title in his first season at Old Trafford and then seeing Sir Alex Ferguson break a promise by retiring, Van Persie, 34, has seen a succession of managers come and go.
David Moyes, Ryan Giggs and Louis van Gaal at United; Vitor Pereira, Dick Advocaat and Aykut Kocaman at Turkish club Fenerbahce.
Holland’s record goalscorer has now returned to the international fold in a bid to help Advocaat rescue a World Cup qualification campaign that took another turn for the worse with a 4-0 hammering at the hands of France on Thursday night.
And Van Persie revealed: “When I signed for United, he [Ferguson] told me that he was going to stay for three more years.
“But I don’t regret anything because Sir Alex gave me the chance to win the Premier League in that first year. As steady as my career was until then, it has been totally unstable ever since when it comes to managers.
“For 10 years at Arsenal, I had only one manager, Arsene Wenger.
“But since I left, I have had a different manager every season – and it’s crazy.
“Yes, I have made mistakes in my career and if I could have my life over again, I would certainly make some other decisions.
“But I think we all have that in life and in our careers.
“You just can’t turn the clock back.”
Van Persie does not hide that he loved every minute and every year he played and lived in England.
His son Shaqueel and daughter Dina went to private schools in London and Manchester.
Shaqueel was a talented player in the Manchester City academy, while his dad played for United.
“I let my kids choose their own friends and clubs,” said RVP.
Shaqueel, 10, is now in Istanbul, still at an English private school. The family could still have been living in the Manchester area if Van Gaal had not forced him out. Van Persie was recalled to Holland’s squad after a two-year absence, following the Dutch FA’S decision to ask Advocaat to replace Danny Blind. The 69-year-old hopes that the experience that has brought Van Persie 50 goals in 102 appearances will inspire the rest of his young side. And the striker has spent the last week trying to coax Vincent Janssen out of a barren spell that prompted Tottenham to try to send him on loan to Brighton. Van Persie will miss Holland’s must-win clash with Bulgaria in Amsterdam today with a knee injury that flared up when he came on for the last half-hour in Paris. But he is desperate to be ready to play against Belarus and Sweden next month. He is in it to win it. Van Persie declared: “I said on the first day back in the camp, ‘Boys, I have not turned up as a mental coach for young players’. Of course, I am happy to help anyone.
“But I am back with Holland as a striker and I have no other agenda than helping us qualify.
“I am not even here to try to better my record of 50 goals.
“All that does not matter for me. We still have everything to fight for and we must now grab the opportunities that will still be there in our final games.
“France have massive qualities. They are a fantastic team.
“But the gap to Sweden and Bulgaria is still small.
“It is so important for Holland to be at the World Cup in Russia.”
Van Persie added: “I have not come back with any feelings for revenge.
“For more than 10 years I was chosen as the No.1 striker for my country.
“I broke the goals record, played in the World Cup final in 2010 and we finished third in 2014.
“I didn’t complain when the coach [Danny Blind] believed he should choose another striker.
“I always said I was going to play until over the age of 40.
“I may have to come off that idea but, for now, I feel better than I have for ages and I want to help my country.”