The Virgil Van Dijk Stays at Southampton Thread

It depended on the level of importance of money to Saints. At this present time, and for the foreseeable future, accruing quality players and making a stronger team are of more interest to Saints than even very large amounts of money. VVD is what we have and he's what we want to keep. It means we don't have to pursue another CB for quite some time. However, the fact that we have 5 other rather capable CBs means that Saints aren't exactly burning their bridges entirely to other opportunities.

As to the wider issue of diminishing player power, there are certainly a few things that elite footballers need to learn. Whilst they throw the poor me, only a 10+ year career time message at all and sundry, to suggest they need to be paid as much as they can get, they also need to learn to respect contracts. With higher pay comes higher responsibility, not the sole pursuit of doing exactly what they want. I'm all for an individual making the best of themselves, but they need to learn to be accountable for their actions. Otherwise, the best players end up at the biggest clubs faster than ever, and nothing changes. Competition goes out the window and football inevitably becomes dull. There may be up and down consequences from it, but what Saints, and other clubs, have done in this transfer window will improve football in the long run, if they keep doing it.

 

Yeah it definitely needs to be sustained, no good putting the foot down now and then giving in to demands 6 months later. Player's would get the impression that they could just kick up a fuss, still get paid then **** off 4 months down the line.

 

Which is why I fully expect VVD to be at Southampton for the full season. Even I can't see past that with any genuine confidence. Then again, another 10 months may see a big change in Southampton's ambitions and fortunes. Who is to say that we won't be playing European football again next season.?

 

I'm in that camp too. For once saying it's the principle of the thing didn't mean that's it's really about the money. It's a long time since Virgil played for us and he's a dickhead, so don't really care about him. He'll have to be returned somehow into the team, but that means displacing a lesser but more loyal player....doesn't sit right, does it? And could you trust him anyway? We live in interesting times.

 

Delighted that our Board stayed strong. Ralph said 'judge us on Sept 1st' after the big exodus and he was right and he was proved right again now.

 

Delighted we didn't let the spoiled brat go. Intrigued to see what happens next.

 

Nah, we should just sing, "He stayed coz you're ****, he stayed coz you're ****, Virgil van Dijk, he stayed coz you're ****"

Even if it's not true.

 

Roll on 18th November (unless moved). Would love Van Dijk to get a last minute winner at Anfield to send the Liverpool fans into a blind fury. Or maybe just Klopp.

Even then the Liverpool fans would go nuts the day before because a private jet would be heading from Southampton to Liverpool and Van Dijk would (probably) be on it.

 

Totally agree,I won't "boo" him but he's gonna have to be amazing every game from now on.
That is if he gets his head out of his arse in the first place of course!

 

Personally I don't want VVD this season. He can have a season on his own to think about his behaviour.

 

I would like to say a very special thank you to Liverpool FC. The £2.8 million we have received from their purchase of Alex from Arsenal will pay VVd's salary for the next 35 weeks. That will do very nicely and so our thanks go to Mr Klopp.

 

Wouldn't it be so awkward if you'd spent all summer pursuing a main target with no alternative, had your fans act so arrogant towards that targets club, along with stalking the target to psycopathic levels, and have the media briefed to unsettle said target to the point of a transfer request,

And then not signed him.

 

Wouldn't that be exciting..........Mind you it gave us all a big talking point during the summer!!

 

True it has been good fun! I'm more in disbelief that we kept him really.
Les, Ralph and co. Well done chaps!

 

Whilst I applaud our stance, I'd have applauded it even more if it had been some other club making it! To play VVW now sends out all sorts of messages to Yoshida, Stephens and our new signings. It just wouldn't seem 'fair' even if he is our best player. My solution; stick him on the bench and put him up front if our forwards aren't scoring. I'm now thinking that, having proved our point, he'll be off in January. I hope so anyway. As it is its LOSE/LOSE for us and VVD. Other clubs owe us a debt of gratitude however.

 

We’ve got Van Dijk,
Virgil Van Dijk,
I just don’t think you understand,
He is a total dick,
And pissed off kloppety Klip
We’ve still got Van Dijk

 

Read one Liverpool fan berating Klopp for not realising that there are other CBs in the world that are better than Lovren.

 

What had the poor blind guy done?

 

Wow that's quite a mistake! I meant fury

 

Nobody has mentioned our new owners in all of this business. Remember Les does not act autonomously. I think we will find our new owners quite refreshing. Firstly because face is all important to the Chinese so they would not have been prepared to lose face over the VVD affair and secondly because of the reported inscrutability of the Chinese. Other clubs will not be able to anticipate how we might respond when they come knocking. That was Liverpool's mistake in that they thought we would just roll over. As of today I feel there is a new respect for our club. To our reputation as a well managed club we have added "and not to be messed with".