 Fighting with Ryan Giggs |
 The and and only badge |
 Dribbling again |
 Playing against old club Ajax |
Biography
- Biography is in two parts:
- History from Ajax to Arsenal, the Arsenal history
- The Arsenal history (continued, this page)
The Arsenal history (continued)
Bergkamp was in front of a new situation before the 2000/01 season - no more international games with the Netherlands to come. He looked a bit uncertain at the start of the season but still showed he hasn't lost his abilities, scoring two goals against Ipswich and Manchester City. In autumn Dennis was also seen as a right midfielder, a position to which he adapted very quickly. His high-class performance against Lazio in the Champions League at this new position, for example, will be remembered. At the time of Christmas there was plenty of rumours surrounding Dennis and his contract running out at the end of the season. Among other clubs Newcastle was eager to sign DB, but as expected, Dennis renewed his contract with Arsenal for further two years.
At the end of March Bergkamp suffered an Achilles injury which kept him out of the field for nine games. He made his return in the sad and bitter FA Cup final against Liverpool. So not the best of seasons for Bergkamp in the red & white shirt, but surely he would be back even stronger for the next season. Dennis said after the season:
I think despite the low points, we've progressed so much this term and I'm encouraged for our chances next time around. Reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League was a major improvement on recent European campaigns and we were about eight minutes away from winning the FA Cup. Although we finished a way off Manchester United in the Premiership, to finish second in the Premiership, while disappointing, is not a disaster." So for next time, we just need to continue our improvements and get a little more luck. It will be fascinating to see what happens next year with it being Sir Alex Ferguson's last season at Old Trafford.
The 2001/02 season wasn't Ferguson's last year, but surely Arsenal improved and had a bit more luck. Arsenal won their third Double - second during Bergkamp's time at the Gunners - and made a few new unbelievable records on the way to the top of the League. Not a single away defeat on the whole season, a goal scored in every match, 13 consecutive wins at the end of the season. And like in -98, Bergkamp had a major role on the road towards the historical Double.
Bergkamp stared his season as a substitute but still managed to score four times during Autumn, double strike against Middlesbrough and one against Fulham and Blackburn each. Still he was often on the bench and there was even some rumours about Dennis leaving Arsenal after the season.
According to reports in some quarters, I'm on the verge of quitting Arsenal. Rubbish. I'm perfectly happy at Highbury and there is no problem between me and Arsene Wenger at all,
Bergkamp stated in the middle of October. Soon after Christmas Bergkamp got his chance and after that he was on fire.
Bergkamp started to look like the good old Dennis, as classy as in the previous Double season. Numerous key passes, several crucial goals and two times Arsenal's player of the Month. In one week at the end of February Bergkamp scored two wonder goals: at first his magical chip sank Leverkusen in the Champions League and a few days later he scored even more superb goal to the Newcastle net. After ten minutes of play Robert Pires flew towards goal and curled a pass to Bergkamp with his back-to-goal. Simply controlling it with Nikos Dabizas paying close attention seemed tough, yet the Dutchman flicked the ball to his right, turned to his right and with the defender beaten, slotted coolly into the bottom corner. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger purred:
It was a real Dennis Bergkamp goal - he only scores great goals. If anybody wished to make a collection of great goals, that would be very high up.
One of the all time finest Bergkamp goals had seen the daylight. After this wonder goal against title rivals Newcastle, Bergkamp found himself as one of the pivotal figures in Wenger's assault on trophies.
A few weeks later, Bergkamp was - again - the star of the show against Newcastle in the FA Cup quarter final replay. The Iceman scored one and assisted two in the 3-0 win and he was determinedly leading Arsenal towards another double. He continued his brilliant form the whole month and got the Barclaycard Player of the Month award for March. He had a fantastic month and helped to take the Gunners to the top of the Premiership, so the trophy was more than well-deserved. April was as good month for Bergkamp and Arsenal as the previous one and soon the Gunners won the FA Cup in the start of May. Only three days later the title was won with a one-nil victory over bitter rivals Man Utd - at Old Trafford! Bergkamp couldn't play due to a heel injury but still he enjoyed it more than ever:
What can I say about last night? All I can say is that I've never, ever been this happy in my entire career. Look at the respect the Arsenal Double winners of 1971 and 1998 get. They're quite rightly legends in the game. To that we can now add the Double winners of 2002. This is my second Double - I'm absolutely ecstatic. I couldn't be more happy than I am today. I'm already looking forward to next season. Make no mistake, this is just the start of something very big in English football. The power has begun to tilt to us, now we want to keep it and go on to dominate English and European football.
Bergkamp played in 46 matches, scored 14 goals and gave numerous superb goal assists. This 33-year-old Dutch Destroyer showed that 'the Bergkamp Wonderland' still existed.
Arsenal and Bergkamp started the 2002/03 -season in great form: despite a few minor injuries Bergkamp orchestrated the Gunners' best moves and the team was flying high. In September Dennis praised the team:
You never know how long you can keep a unique team like this together. It is the best I've played in, and we've proved that with the way we started this season.
But soon four 2-1 -defeats in a row gave someting to think about. In the start of the season Arsenal played perhaps the best football ever seen at Highbury, but after these defeats the spark had gone - that "something" was missing. Still Arsenal was going towards glory in all three competitions.
Bergkamp hit the 100th goal of his Arsenal career in the FA Cup third round tie with Oxford United at Highbury in January. 15 minutes into the clash, the Dutch Master picked up on a Francis Jeffers pass and stroked the ball past Andy Woodman - to rapturous applause from the Highbury crowd. Manager Wenger praised the man after the match:
Dennis has made an immense contribution to the club, not only as a great player but also as a great example and he's shown that again. I can't believe how quickly he has scored his 100 goals as all of his goals have been sensational. The fact that he's scored his 100th goal in this game shows just how professional he is. He doesn't just save his goals for the bigger games.
Bergkamp himself commented:
It was a very special moment for me to score my 100th goal for Arsenal, it was historical for both me and the club. It doesn't matter who the goal came against, it's 100 goals in all competitions and it's a very proud moment for me in my career.
Just a month later Bergkamp started the match against Liverpool (2-2) and reached 300 games for the club.
In the start of March the gap between Arsenal and Man Utd was eight points, despite the fact that at the same time Bergkamp was playing his worst football so far this season. Later, United caught up the Gunners and Arsenal's draw against Bolton and a bitter defeat against Leeds weren't enough to keep the title in North London. Happily, Bergkamp showed again his exquisite passes in the last game of the season, one-nil victory over Southampton in Cardiff. He almost even scored a few times, but it was Robert Pires who scored the match-winner. At least one trophy for the Gunners this year - FA Cup winners 2003!
Next season, 2003-04, was supposed to be the Iceman's last one and even 66% of this site's visitors thought so in July's poll. Fortunately this wasn't the case and Bergkamp signed a new one-year contract just before the last match of the season. After completing the new deal, he said:
I am so pleased that I will be at Arsenal for another year. Next season will be my 10th with the Club, and that just shows what Arsenal means to me. We have a great squad and team spirit at the Club, which we have proved by winning the Premiership this year. I hope I will be part of another successful campaign for Arsenal next season.
Manager Arsène Wenger - once again - praised the Dutch master:
We are delighted that Dennis is staying with us for another season. He has once again showed throughout this year what an important part of our squad he is. Dennis is a great professional and I know his experience and natural ability will continue to help us greatly next season.
Before this at the start of the season, it took a few months from Dennis to get back on form after some minor injuries. But he proved his place was still on the top level with the sharp and precise passes we have witnessed in the last nine years. In November Bergkamp scored his first of the five goals this season against Birmingham, with captain's armband. He also commented his possible retirement after the match:
I will have a difficult decision in May. How we do in Europe will not affect my decision over retirement, as I would not want to continue just because I wanted another crack at European glory. The only thing that would make me think again about retiring is if I am still enjoying my football. This is the main thing.
Bergkamp kept frequently tormenting opposite's defences, thought there were some poor performances, too. In January Arsenal introduced their new signing, forward Jose Antonio Reyes. The young Spaniard was still adapting to the English football and didn't affect so much on Bergkamp's minutes on the field.
Dennis played better and better towards the spring and glory. After excellent performances against Chelsea (two times), Celta Vigo and Bolton, Thierry Henry praised his team-mate in March:
I've played with so many players. He does not do tricks like Zinedine Zidane but I don't know if any other player can see the game as well and as fast as he does. Everyone who has played with Dennis will tell you how great he is.
Arsenal clinched the title at the White Hart Lane - the sweetest of venues for a title triumph following a 2-2 draw against north London rivals Tottenham. Bergkamp started the match and was involved in both goals, a great performance by the Dutch Master. Despite the draw the real victory, however, was Arsenal's. The title was theirs and the honour of an historic unbeaten league campaign may yet follow. Arsene Wenger summed up the season:
We wanted to win and win with style. I think we achieved that this season and we are proud of it. I would like to congratulate my players and staff for their attitude and the consistency they have shown. It must have been good for the fans to see us repeat what happened in 1971 when we also won the title at Tottenham.
After Bergkamp's new contract deal, Arsenal ensured their historical unbeatable league season with 2-1 win over Leicester at Highbury. Bergkamp started the match and showed a perfect example of why the he would be at Highbury also next season. In the second half Dennis, who has just earned a final one-year contract, bided his time before picking out the surging run of Vieira with an exquisite through-ball. It was 2-1, and the celebrations could begin. After the match, when asked which of his title triumphs with Arsenal he had enjoyed the most, Bergkamp said:
The last one is always the best one so this is definitely the best because we are unbeaten this season.
On his wonderfully incisive through-ball for Vieira's winning goal the Dutchman said:
I think we needed something a little bit special because we were down in the first half but there is so much talent in this team, we know each other well. It is going to be difficult (to get better) but we will try.
Almost everyone thought that the 2004/05 season would be Bergkamp's last one - but once again he, deservedly, got a one-year-extension until the end of 2005/06 season.
The season itself was a bit discrepant for Dennis: the passes and vision he showed proved that he can still play at the top level, but he didn't have the time and space against tougher opponents which he had against weaker teams in the Premier League. Bergkamp was often restrained and couldn't use his creativity to rip apart the opponents' defences. Still, he played a good season.
Bergkamp managed to score in the first league match of the season against Everton and the great form continued through the fall. We all remember, among other matches, the one when the Dutch captain inspired Arsenal to a marvellous bounce-back to beat Boro 5-3 and Dennis scoring once. Arsenal also set the new record for consecutive unbeatable matches in the league - 49!
However, the wintertime wasn't so rosy and Bergkamp suffered a few minor injuries. Arsenal played well but unsteady performances weren't enough to stop Chelsea's money train. Still Arsenal secured the second place and Champions League place a few matches before the end of the season. Bergkamp was a substitute in some of the matches while Reyes or van Persie played up front, a scene we saw more and more often in the forthcoming season. One of the greatest memories of the season was definitely the 7-0 trashing of Everton, a match which made the Highbury faithful to chant "One more year" (for Bergkamp) in unison. Bergkamp was at his majestic and inspirational best, playing a prominent role in all three first-half goals and scoring one himself at the second half. After the match Dennis commented:
It is difficult not to get emotional when they start cheering and shouting one more year. I had made up my mind already but this only made it more clear to me. Also if there was any doubt with the fans this has taken it away. I know I have respect from them but they seem to sense there is another year left in me. That is great from my point of view.
All in all, there were no reason to think that Bergkamp couldn't succeed another great season at Arsenal, even at the age of 36. His imagination and professionalism was invaluable in the young Arsenal squad.
Arsenal started the season 2005/06 with high hopes with their young but talented squad. Still the season was very frustrating, the team's performances ranging from terrific to horrible. Bergkamp was classy as ever but it was obvious almost right from the start of the season that this would be it, Bergkamp's final season. Class is permanent, but someday the physical side isn't just enough anymore for the top level.
Bergkamp gave glimpses of his murderous passing in the first half of the season and he even scored a great last-minute winner in the Champions League against Swiss side FC Thun. Bergkamp also made his 300th Premiership appearance for the club against Sunderland in November. Nevertheless he was occasionally injured from December to March and didn't feature in too many matches.
On Saturday April 15, Highbury celebrated its final season and Bergkamp's 11 years at the Club with Dennis Bergkamp Day. Fortunately, Dennis was fit for the match - and steered the Gunners to victory. The Dutchman came off the bench to create one and brilliantly score another after Arsenal had been pegged back. The goal was typical Bergkamp: he rose to the occasion by curling a trademark shot into the top corner of the net to leave the crowd in rapture. Dennis smiled:
It reminded me a few goals I scored in 1998, bending it around the keeper. It was a good finish, but I would like to score more.
Arsene Wenger commented after the match:
Intelligence and class. Class is of course, most of the time linked to what you can do with the ball, but the intelligence makes you use the technique in an efficient way. It's like somebody who has a big vocabulary but he doesn't say intelligent words, and somebody who has a big vocabulary but he can talk intelligently, and that's what Dennis is all about. What he does, there's always a head and always a brain. And his technique allows him to do what he sees, and what he decides to do.
Bergkamp himself was astonished by the fans' orange invasion:
Quite special,
he commented with typical modesty when asked about the superb curling finish that capped both the victory over West Brom and a day in his honour at Highbury.
Someone mentioned at the training ground that there would be about 10,000 fans in orange T-shirts. I could not really figure out what it was, and when I came out for the warm-up, I thought 'whoa! - this is it then'
The crowd gave Bergkamp a roof-lifting ovation when he came on. You couldn't expect any less.
In the end of April Bergkamp turned down coaching role - at least for now.
At the moment I would say I won't become a coach. People say once you have been out of football for a little while you always go back, so maybe I will come back into it. But what I know for sure is that when I stop playing I want a complete break. I think when I retire I need to close that part of my life before I move on to do something else. I think it's important that I relax a little bit.
On Sunday May 7 2006, Arsenal and Bergkamp left Highbury after so many years together. Arsenal's farewell to Highbury Stadium began as the last rites for one of English soccer's great cathedrals but ended as an almighty celebration. After 93 years, the Gunners' 2010th and final match at their north London home before moving down the hill to the new 60,000-seater Emirates Stadium ended in exhilaration. A 4-2 win over Wigan Athletic, thanks to a hat-trick from captain Thierry Henry, allowed Arsenal to jump above arch-rivals Tottenham and grab fourth place in the Premier League and the final Champions League qualifying spot. Still, of all the memories from Arsenal's farewell to Highbury, few match the moment when Dennis Bergkamp emerged from the bench. As the Dutch master prepared for his last competitive appearance on English soil, the crowd rose to give him a standing ovation. Suddenly, news filtered through from Upton Park that West Ham had retaken the lead against Tottenham. As Bergkamp jogged onto the Highbury pitch for the final time, the stadium was rocking. Dennis nearly chipped in a sentimental goal in the final stages but this time it just wasn't meant to be.
It was emotional personally because it was the end of my career, but saying goodbye to Highbury was a big thing as well. It's good to play football, especially here. It's an honour to play for Arsenal, to come on the pitch and show what I can do. I think when you're on the bench you're always hoping, if you're losing or if you're winning, you always want to get on. My team-mates know what I've done at Highbury and for Arsenal in general. They really respect that, they appreciate that and it shows what kind of players these are. They respect each other.
Bergkamp didn't get the crowning for his career he would have deserved - Barcelona scored twice late on to stun 10-man Arsenal and won the Champions League 2-1 in a tense, absorbing final at Stade de France on 17th of May 2006. Bergkamp was on the bench but didn't get any minutes as the situation was very hard for Arsenal after keeper Jens Lehmann got sent off just after 18 minutes. Still it was a full-hearted performance by Arsenal.
So many good Bergkamp magic moments have been seen - maybe we won't walk in a Bergkamp wonderland anymore, but the legend of the non-flying Dutchman will live forever. Dennis, we won't never forget you, thank you for all the memories!
Return to Biography,
part 1/2.