Van Persie not given ´honest´ chance by Van Gaal

After departing Manchester United to join Fenerbahce, Robin van Persie feels he was not given a fair opportunity to stay at Old Trafford by Louis van Gaal.

Van Persie and Van Gaal worked together for the Dutch national team, but it appears their relationship became somewhat strained towards the end of 2014-15.

The striker made 27 Premier League appearances for Van Gaal, scoring 10 goals.

The 31-year-old completed his move to Turkey this week and has revealed he could tell that Van Gaal no longer saw him as a first-choice selection.

“I know Louis as a national team coach and now I get to know him as a club coach,” he told The Sunday Times.

“I was still thinking we could come back from holiday and start from scratch.

“He had changed his mind about me before. When he took over Holland he said to me ‘You’re the number three striker.’ I was ‘O…K…’ but I fought and became the number one and his captain.

“But when I came back, it wasn’t an honest battle anymore. Fighting to get back in the team wasn’t given me as an option.

“He was sending me to Pitch Two. And I’m a mature player. I’m not stupid. I didn’t get angry or emotional.

“These things are part of football, part of life. You have to make the best out of any situation so I’m doing this by moving on.”

Van Persie says being left on the bench for United’s 1-0 defeat at Chelsea in April proved a turning point.

“That was one of the first signals things weren’t going in the right direction,” he said. “I asked to play in the reserves, to get my minutes, but after was on the bench again.

“The atmosphere changed between me and Louis and people at the club saw it, but I was always professional.

“At that point I didn’t think to leave. [Wife] Bouchra was happy. The kids were happy. I was happy in Manchester.”