Declan Rice’s bizarre warning to West Ham about when he plays against them with Arsenal is the only blot on his emotional farewell message.
It is perhaps fitting that the skies are grey and it’s pouring with rain today as West Ham bid a heartbreaking goodbye to Declan Rice.
West Ham confirmed this morning that the British record £105m transfer has been completed for Rice to join Arsenal.
Hammers News said our own heartfelt goodbye to Rice this morning.
In it we touched on the fact that, like it or not, Rice’s push to join a London rival in Arsenal has not gone down well with certain factions of the West Ham fanbase.
And as Arsenal supporters stick the boot in this weekend and over the coming years, it will be hard for some West Ham fans who feel slighted, not to bear a grudge against Rice for making this move. You only need to look at West Ham social media to see that.
But the majority of Hammers supporters have – and will – wish him well. And he will be cheered whenever he faces West Ham with the Gunners.
It goes without saying, though, that once the whistle blows on those occasions West Ham fans will be desperate to see whoever is facing Rice that day – be it a James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez, Denis Zakaria, Tomas Soucek, Lucas Paqueta or Freddie Potts – come out on top.
And that’s the thing, it goes without saying. Just like when Rice plays against West Ham he will be trying to win the game for Arsenal.
So Rice’s bizarre warning to West Ham about when he plays against them with Arsenal is the only blot on his emotional farewell message.
Speaking in a personal message to West Ham and the club’s fans on his departure, Rice delivered a lovely all encompassing goodbye.
But one passage might jar with some West Ham fans as Rice rather patronisingly explains that supporters have to understand he will be giving everything to beat them when he plays for Arsenal.
“I want you to know how tough a decision it has been for me to leave an environment that I have loved and cherished so much,” Rice says.
“Ultimately, though, it has only ever been about my ambition to play at the very highest level of the game.
“Playing on the opposite team to West Ham for the first time will be an unusual experience. I’m not sure yet exactly how I will feel, but I also know you will all understand and respect that my professional loyalties have to now lie with my new Club.
“I will always give 100% every single time I pull on the (Arsenal) shirt – because that is how I have been brought up at West Ham, and I’m sure you wouldn’t expect anything else.
“However, that does not mean my love and respect for you all has been diminished in any way.”
Yes Dec we know how it works. Unfortunately you aren’t the first cherished West Ham academy star to leave for a rival. And you probably won’t be the last.
Some things go without saying and this is one of those things.
But as we said in our own farewell – we wish Declan all the best, a great West Ham player who will always be fondly remembered.
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