THE REAL REASON BERGKAMP WANTS ARSENAL RETURN

Coaching badges in hand Dennis Bergkamp is waiting, itching even, for Arsene Wenger to call.

If and when the Frenchman does summon the Dutchman we will hear plenty about returning to the club he loves, giving something back to the people who helped him rebuild his career and wanting to help the players achieve great things.

All true of course but Dennis really wants to come back so he can play golf.

Amsterdam has a couple of decent clubs but nothing on north London for the quality and quantity of challenging courses.

Bergkamp is wealthy and time-rich enough to play anywhere in the world but it would mean an awful lot of driving for a man who likes to keep his feet on the ground.

Ray Parlour and Arsenal’s kit man Vic Akers introduced Bergkamp to golf and they soon learned he was as competitive tee to green as between the white lines.

“We played on Wednesday afternoons and Dennis must have heard us talking about it and asked whether he could play.” said Parlour.

“He was not very good when he started. He turned up with all the gear; he looked like Tiger Woods but he didn’t play like him and I reckon he must have shot 174.

“But he really enjoyed it and as the weeks went by he got better and better. He always counted every one of his shots. Now he’s an absolute golf fanatic and I think his wife plays as well. They enjoy the social side of the game too.”

One day Bergkamp turned up on the first tee with some noticeable changes to his swing.

Parlour laughs as he recalls Bergkamp denying he’d had lessons.

“Dennis would tell us he’s an 18 handicapper but I reckon he’s single figures.

He’s an absolute bandit.”

A couple of hours on the training ground of a morning and then head out to any one of a number of clubs close to London Colney. He also has lots of old mates to play with.

The Iceman as golfnut.