Today in the Times their respected chief sports writer Matt Dickinson wrote: "Liverpool had made all the right, persistent moves for Van Dijk and how delighted they must be with the man who, it was confirmed yesterday is to be crowned PFA player of the year." This is so far from the truth as to be unbelievable that somebody who professes to understand the game can utter such nonsense. Perhaps his memory is failing him or he really did not see anything wrong with how Liverpool behaved when pursuing Van Dijk. Does he not remember that they were close to having a transfer ban slapped on them for their illegal approach?
The media's current collective ****fest and general arse-licking of the red Scousers is nauseating in the extreme.
Agree 100%, and the only reason they didn’t have a transfer ban slapped on them is because Southampton FC didn’t press the issue, so keen were they to receive the £75 million. Virgil’s name, by the way, is Van Dijk.
Yep, well pointed out Godders. Really sticks in my throat. Speak to their fans, and they will tell you the same. I waste ten minutes of my life every-time to educate them, and will continue to do so till they understand the extreme underhand tactics they went to, to get their man.
Indeed it worked. More reason to highlight their underhand tactics. They think because we got paid £75M it makes it alright. It does not make it right at all.
Well you could argue that if it was that bad then Saints should have stuck to their guns instead of using it to gain extra money.
…. and they have previous for being caught for underhand transfer dealings. But of course, its never their fault...………..
Oh come now, no way any blame on Les for this one. Player power bent us over the barrel in the end, but I was proud how we stood up to them.
We gave him a new deal knowing that interest was increasing. We just didn't count on secret handshakes so early on. Asking for £75M wasn't us digging our heals in, it was recognising a assists worth. Now people are starting to understand that price tag.
That's not what I'm discussing though, I'm talking about after it all fell apart in the Summer. My point is that if it's as bad and immoral as people believe then surely there's an argument that we should have stuck by our guns with our official complaint so the authorities could investigate it. Instead we used it as leverage to get a better deal which in the grand scheme of things was probably the right thing to do. It will never stop if none of the smaller clubs take a stand though, surely?
I ****ing hope so. Although if the Mancs keep crying about bias of all things I might switch to them for a laugh.
we should have stuck by our guns with our official complaint -------------------- There was no win for us doing that.
The dirty secret of modern football is that everyone uses underhanded tactics in order to force through transfers. Remember Mane going "on strike" at Salzburg to force a transfer? I can assure you that he wasn't doing it on spec. (Our opposite number in that negotiation? Ralf Rangnick. The same other-other Ralph that hired Hasenhuttl at Leipzig. The football world is small).
