Don’t do it Dennis
Arsenal are going to see one of their legends depart in just a few matches. Say it isn’t so. Dennis Bergkamp has spent 11 glorious seasons in a Gunner’s uniform and has said he will retire at the end of the season. He shouldn’t. At 36 he is still extremely useful, as evidenced in the way he orchestrated the win against West Brom last weekend. Those 3 points helped keep the pressure on Tottenham and could yet be seen as the points which gave Arsenal their Champions League spot for next season, which is unless they win it all.
I bring this up because I was given a DVD of Bergkamp’s 100 Arsenal goals as a gift the other day and when I watched it I was filled with nostalgia and reminded what a true master he is. Not many guys will get Motty to say “well, you just run out of superlatives”.
Remember that goal (’97 I think) where he took that long cross and magically dinked it towards the center of the box across the defender’s momentum and scored? And that goal where he took that long ball from over his head and dribbled it in the air 3 times to beat the defender, finally smashing it across the keeper? The unforgettable spin against Newcastle? And the countless other wonder strikes from outside the box like the short Overmars corner where he curled it into the top corner of the net from outside the corner of the box?
Beyond great goals it’s the football brain that still makes him so useful. Many players lose their speed and there is nothing left to prop them up. Not Bergkamp, he was never the fastest player to begin with. With Dennis, you move and bam, there is the ball. Ask Pires against West Brom. And who was more instrumental during the 49 match run? With Bergkamp it’s all about ball control, first touch, defense splitting passes and quick thinking. None of those really deteriorate with age.
There have been other useful players who played on well past Bergkamp’s age and deserved their place on the pitch: Gianfranco Zola and Teddy Sheringham are prime examples. Bergkamp is also a great influence on the younger players on the squad. You can’t tell me that Robin van Persie would be where he is now without him.
For all those reasons and more I wish Dennis Bergkamp would play on. It’s a shame some players have to age. Dennis, you’ve got at least 2 good years left in you. Stay on.
by Football Commentator at 4/21/2006 07:16:00 PM
9 Comments:
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agreed
the master should stay on
out with him cuz he never gave us lot the time of day and v pers has it all to give
hey, where do you find the idots like the one above
I am an avid DB10 fan and have enjoyed his countless moments of greatness for both Arsenal and Holland but unfortunately I think time has come for him to hang up his playing boots
I feel this because this year he has offered less than in the past seasons on the pitch and I feel by having him playing you waste (if you can ever waste a space on a player like bergkamp) a space which could potentially be used for a player like Walcott, Lupoli, Smith, etc.
Unfortunately DB10 has had his better days and can now not play much more than 60-70minutes a game and will mainly be playing from the bench and DB10 is alot of things but not a great sub he rarely changes games when he comes on since it ussually takes him 5-10minutes to judge the pace of the game and get his touch in, a bench player needs to be able to come into a game and change it
after all that I would still like to see him around Arsenal in a coaching role because having him present couldnt harm us in any way, he would be able to offer advice to RvP, JAR, EA, TW, AH, Cesc and TH14 and could have a similar effect the Keown has had on the back 4
DB10 staying on as a player - Afriad to say its a no from me
as a coach - Lets hope so
We love you Dennis! We will never forget you! Arsenal is not Arsenal without you!!!
WE MISS YOU
Would be a dream come true if he sayed on. Who would not have him in the dressing room, at the training ground, warmin up and geeing up the crowd on the sidelines - and ultimately of course being an option on the bench. Who in their right mind would say no?
With the crop of young players in the Gunners lineup, you would think there would be a role for an "elder" like DB in the lineup. I think a lot of good Van Persie moments have happened when Bergkamp was on the pitch.
While he is no doubt an incredible player with a ton left to contribute, you have to wonder about his no travelling decision.
Not travelling for away games is a move a lot of lesser players wouldn't be able to pull off, and you have to wonder what financial implications that has on a club - paying full salary for a star striker who doesn't travel, especially with Arsenal moving into an expensive new stadium.
If Sherringham can get to 40, then so can he.
We hate to let Bergie go.
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