Declan Rice loves West Ham and has shown nothing but respect to us always.
We couldn’t match his ambitions, but he left respectfully for a very large fee and always gave his all.
He never refused to train, gave his all right until the end and probably stayed a good 2 more years than he could have.
Got stick last week for saying we’re happy to see him succeed. You can hate Arsenal but also feel proud of him deep down, for some odd reason a lot of people can’t separate the two.
All I’ve see is people say his reaction to us being relegated is performative. He spent 10 years at the club, and let’s be honest, deep down would have stayed if we could’ve went to the next level with him. He loves this football club, there’s zero need for him to perform for the cameras.
🗣️| Mikel Arteta: “After the Burnley game when we won, Martin Odegaard came to me and said, 'Boss, we want to watch the (Bournemouth v City) game tomorrow and we would like you and the staff to be there'. Okay, if that's what you want, I will be there.
“So we trained a bit later. We finished at around 6:30, 7:00, and I went upstairs and I saw the set-up and I say, 'I can't do this'.
“I think the boys deserved the moment and my energy, my mood, I don't think is going to allow them to live the game in the manner they deserve.
“I went downstairs to Martin. I said, 'Martin, I'm really sorry, but I go home - if the magic happens, I will see you after'. And I went home, I drove, there was already 20 minutes of the game gone.
“My kids and my wife were watching the game in the living room. I say good night, I just close the door and I went straight outside and I started to build some fire, build the BBQ.
“And it was the longest hour and a half of my life, until the magic happened. My eldest son opened the garden room and started to cry and came to me and said, 'Daddy, we are champions'. And I did get emotional.
“And then my other two kids came straight after him and my wife and we all hug each other, and it was beautiful.
“A minute later, I got a call from Martin and a video, passing me to all the players, saying, 'Where are you, where are you?'
“I said, 'Don't worry, organise something and I will be with you in the evening'.” [@footballontnt] #afc