Our ‘Diary of a Pro’ betting expert and football mad punter tells us why he thinks Robin Van Persie is a steal at 16/1 in the Player of the Tournament market.
He’s sneaked under the radar in terms of pricing but Dutch striker Robin Van Persie looks like the stand out value for Player of the Tournament at odds of 16/1.
Player Of The Tournament Odds – Euro 2012:
Andres Iniesta – 12/1
Mesut Ozil – 14/1
Mario Gomez – 14/1
Cristiano Ronaldo – 14/1
Robin van Persie – 16/1
Bastian Schweinsteiger – 16/1
Xavi – 16/1
David Silva – 16/1
Fernando Llorente – 18/1
Lukas Podolski – 20/1
Thomas Muller – 20/1
Wesley Sneijder – 20/1
Arjen Robben – 22/1
Fernando Torres – 22/1
Cesc Fabregas – 28/1
Mario Gotze – 28/1
Bar – 33/1
Favourite to pick up the honour at this year’s tournament is Barcelona midfielder Andre Iniesta but to be honest, I’m not convinced Spain will perform as people expect. There were sure signs from both the Champions League and La Liga that Barcelona’s invisible style of football has been clocked by some of the best footballing brains in the world and the slow paced build and intricate passing may not be something which will work for the Spanish this summer.
For a player to win the title of the best player at the tournament, their team must at least progress to the semi-final or final stage of the tournament. Another dimension to this title is the coverage in the media which the players are getting from football experts and those in the know about the sport. Some of the best experts on European football having been tipping Robin Van Persie to announce himself on the world stage this summer at this late stage in his career, having been a household name in the Premier League for some time.
If he were lining out in the colours of Real Madrid, Man United or Barcelona, RVP would be sure to top the betting for the Player of the Tournament. The Dutch sensation has had a fantastic season for Arsenal and was the real reason for their resurgence in the second half of the season, admitted by Wenger on many occasions through the press.
In terms of fitness and being healthy to compete for the duration of the tournament, Van Persie looks like how he could come through unscathed for much of the competition. Rumours of his desire to leave Arsenal will be hard for Arsene Wenger to cover up and if he is to be in a powerful position for negotiations with his own club or even some of the biggest clubs in Europe, a good Euro 2012 will do no harm for his case.
This award has a tendency of being awarded to teams who play entertaining football and players who display obvious talent amongst their peers. We’ve already seen this season and previously how Robin Van Persie on his own can win a game. It’s this match winning prowess that will catch the headlines in the tabloids and push RVP forward as a top candidate for Player of the Tournament in Poland/Ukraine.
The other element to these types of awards is team success and in my opinion, bookies, football experts and the general public are underestimating the Dutch. They had a phenomenal qualification campaign for this summer’s tournament and have been really knocking or should I say banging on the door of success since their World Cup final defeat to Spain in South Africa.
Compared to the service Van Persie receives at the Emirates, the Dutch will have a number of excellent midfielders who can slip tidy passes through to his lethal left foot. Wesley Sneijder is another top candidate for Player of the Tournament and at 20/1 he certainly offers value but it’s RVP who is the preferred option when you look at his goalscorer antics.
The Netherlands striker failed to score against just two top flight teams during the 2011/12 season which is a stat which really sticks out like a sore thumb. Take into account that Arsenal’s midfield isn’t exactly a world class selection, something which makes Robin Van Persie’s achievements in the Premier League season an awesome feat. Stick with the 28-year-old to take Poland/Ukraine by storm this summer and at odds of 16/1 you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank this July!
