Van Persie Excited By Bergkamp And Ajax

Arsenal and The Netherlands star Robin van Persie is excited about the prospect of Dennis Bergkamp linking up with Marco van Basten in the Ajax backroom.

Van Basten will usher in a new era at the Amsterdam ArenA following the Dutch Euro 2008 campaign, with assistants John van't Schip and Rob Witschge in tow.

Van Basten has offered Bergkamp the opportunity to return to his former club, where he was a teammate with the trio in the late 1980s and early 90s, to further his fledgling coaching career.

Former Feyenoord forward Van Persie played with Bergkamp at Highbury for two years after becoming a Gunner. The injury-plagued striker thinks the Van Basten/Bergkamp union can be a successful one for the Godenzonen.

"It is extremely positive, what's happening there," Van Persie told Sportsweek magazine.

"Van Basten, Van 't Schip, Witschge and Bergkamp are pure football men. When you train under them things can hardly go wrong.

"Van Basten and Bergkamp together would have so much to offer. I would like to play under such a combination - only not at Ajax of course.

"You could always ask Dennis things. Although he never came to you by himself, he helped everybody.

"Guys who showed a special drive were players who he put his energy into. No matter what was wrong with them, he looked through that."