Klopp expects a hostile reception for world record signing Van Dijk
LIVERPOOL manager Jurgen Klopp insists they did not “steal” Virgil van Dijk from Southampton and the south coast club should be happy with the world record fee they received.
The Holland international became the most expensive defender in history when he left the Saints in a £75m deal in January, becoming the sixth Saints player to move to Anfield since 2014, and can expect a hot reception when the Reds head to St Mary’s tomorrow.
Klopp expects the Dutchman to be targeted by home fans on his return, he insists it should not be a big deal.
“It will not be the most friendly but I’m not sure,” said Klopp.
“I don’t think anyone at Southampton will say we’ve stolen him or something.
“It was a very public deal and the numbers, even when they are not 100% right, are I think OK so maybe they are really happy and they say ‘Thank you for all the money we have now’ — or it could be the other way around.
“Since I’m in (at Liverpool) not only the players we have but half the Premier League if you ask ‘Where is he coming from ..... Southampton’ so there are obviously a few more players.
“Even with centre-halves (Van Dijk and Lovren) we have a problem if you say no Southampton players. We’d only have two (centre-backs) left — not too cool.
“(There are) good players from this area — maybe we should have the scouting department directly in Southampton starting very early!”
Despite playing down the Southampton reunion, which will also see Sadio Mane, Dejan Lovren and Adam Lallana head back to their old club, Klopp will speak to Van Dijk about his focus.
“Yes, for sure, I will talk to Virgil about it,” the Reds boss added.
“We are all human beings, we are influenced by circumstances. It will not be a normal game, how can it be?”
IN one of the most fascinating and revealing press conferences we have witnessed at Windsor Park in recent years, Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill expanded on his reasons for remaining in the job and why fans shouldn’t fear the future.
After months of uncertainty over O’Neill’s future and escalating fears that senior players like Gareth McAuley, Chris Brunt and Aaron Hughes were ready to call it a day, the stunning progress achieved under the 48-year-old was in danger of coming to an abrupt halt.
When the Scottish FA were granted permission to hold talks with the former Shamrock Rovers boss the speculation gathered pace but after the Irish FA moved swiftly to offer O’Neill a six-year deal worth £700,000-a-year, it was going to take something special to prise him away.
In his discussions with the media yesterday it became clear there were a number of reasons why O’Neill rejected not only Scotland, but offers from clubs as well.
While his new deal runs until 2024, it remains to be seen if he will guide Northern Ireland through the next two European Championship campaigns and the qualifying series for the 2022 World Cup, which is to be held in Qatar.
There is a clause entitling the IFA to compensation if O’Neill moves on to a club job but for now the Ballymena man believes he has unfinished business with his country.
Yesterday he was bullish and optimistic about the future, but his emotions were very different after that play-off nightmare against Switzerland when the World Cup dream went up in smoke.
When asked if he felt that was the end of his time in charge of Northern Ireland, O’Neill stated: “I think that is natural. There was always that feeling because of the disappointment of missing out like we did.
“The biggest thing for me was did the players need that change or something different?
“I had good discussions with Jonny (Evans) and Steve (Da- vis) in particular and they certainly weren’t of that mindset.
“That was a big factor. In international football you need the players onside. It’s not like a club situation where you can change players and get rid of players.
“We can’t do that so that was a major factor.
“When you have that type of relationship that you have with the players and they to a man were positive about me staying on, they were nice words to hear.”
The Scottish FA identified O’Neill as their No.1 target after Gordon Strachan left his position in October, so how close was he to going to Scotland?
“It wasn’t just a case of going to Scotland,” he added.
“I had the opportunity to go to clubs as well. It was a bit of a dilemma regarding club football and if it was the right time to consider club football.
“Was it the right time to go to another Association? In relative terms I’m 48, I’m young as an international manager. I’ve six years’ experience as an international manager. I have the experience of going to a major tournament.
“I just felt this job wasn’t finished. It wasn’t just a case of, ‘I’ll go there because I fancy that’.
“You have to look at your life as a whole and your family situation.
“All those things come into the equation and it was a difficult decision to make and having subsequently got my end around everything going forward I am 100% in my mind that I made the right decision.”
As part of his new contract with the Irish FA, O’Neill will take up the role of Chief Football Officer and have overall responsibility for the development of the game and the Association’s elite performance pathway.
“We have a few more players in the pipeline,” said O’Neill.
“They have to be the right type and have to be better than what we have or offer us something we don’t have in the