Van Dijk: Liverpool’s defensive machine
He was just a Rolls-Royce. He could go through the gears when he wanted to. - Former manager Neil Lennon
VIRGIL VAN DIJK is officially one year into his Liverpool career and is already on his way to becoming a club legend.
Questions were asked when Anfield officials shattered their transfer record but his £75million fee now looks value for money after a string of outstanding performances.
The Holland defender was always the man Jurgen Klopp wanted to lead his back four and Liverpool overlooked players such as Aymeric Laporte, Davinson Sanchez and Kalidou Koulibaly to secure his signature ahead of both Manchester clubs and Chelsea.
He is arguably the best centre half in the world and we spoke to four people who have seen him rise from promising novice to defensive machine.
GRONINGEN (2010-13) 66 apps, 7 goals
Hans Nijland (General Manager)
Virgil was a young guy, only 18, when we signed him from Willem II Tilburg. He wasn’t even a full-time professional but our chief scout, Henk Veldmate, had watched him and said we had to do it. Within 12 months, he was playing in our first team.
He played as a striker a couple of times but he was a central defender. He had this great size to go with his mentality and professionalism. Every time I watched him, I was 100 per cent sure he would take the next step.
We sold him to Celtic and then two years later I had a call from Ronald Koeman. ‘Hans,’ he said, ‘I am taking Van Dijk to Southampton.’ Ronald had followed him and knew he could be special. I’m proud of Virgil. I also sold Arjen Robben and Luis Suarez. He is with them in the world’s top 10.
CELTIC (2013-15) 115 apps, 15 goals
Neil Lennon (Manager)
We had seen plenty of footage of him playing for Groningen. You are watching and going, ‘Wow, is this boy available? There must be something wrong with him. He must have one eye or something missing’. There was no doubt about his qualities. I knew right away, the first time I saw him.
The only surprise was that he didn’t move from Celtic earlier, because he was a standout player. In the end, it cost Liverpool £75m when it maybe could have cost them £50m less, if they had really looked at him.
He had fantastic temperament, fantastic physique and his all-round qualities. He was just a Rolls-Royce. He could go through the gears when he wanted to. Technically unbelievable. We got him for just over €2m. I couldn’t believe my luck, really.
It doesn’t surprise me Liverpool have improved with him in the team. Virgil is one of the best in the world now, there’s no question about that. He could win Player of the Year. That would be a great feather in his cap. His wee mate (Andrew Robertson) at left back is not doing bad as well.
Those are two players who were in Scottish football four or five years ago, now they have played Champions League finals and are sitting top of the Premier League.
SOUTHAMPTON apps, 7 goals Charlie Austin (teammate) (2015-18)
THE FIRST time I saw Virg, I looked at him and thought, ‘Christ! The size of you!’ I’ll be honest, I didn’t really know a lot about him before we played together — I signed a couple of months after him — but that changed after a couple of weeks.
It was horrible to train against him, as he made you angry. It wasn’t that he’d kick you or anything like that, it just felt like he wasn’t even trying, yet he’d still take the ball off you.
He always seemed to be a step ahead in his mind, did everything with ease. He never had to make last-ditch tackles.
I would say, though, that Jose Fonte had a massive impact on him. Jose was the wise head in our dressing room, he was always giving everyone advice, whether it was things you should be doing to look after yourself physically or offering pointers in games. He and Virgil had a great relationship.
You know when you work with someone of the ability that Virg has that it will be only a matter of time before they end up at the highest level and he has taken to Champions League football like a duck to water.
Even at that level, I have never seen anyone push him into areas where he’s uncomfortable. He’s different class.
LIVERPOOL (2018-) 48 apps, 2 goals
Joe Gomez (teammate)
We played Southampton in the League Cup semi-final in January 2017 and I was on the bench at St Mary’s. I was intrigued by him. I wanted to be a central defender and I was thinking, ‘What makes him so good? Why is everyone after him?’
So I watched him in the warm-up and I could see his presence straight away. He was playing these long balls and doing everything so naturally. You might look at players and think they aren’t as mobile or as dominant, aggressive, but he had it all. But when we signed him I was wary of another central defender coming in. With that type of transfer, the likelihood is he will be first choice for a long time. I also didn’t know how he would be as a person.
Within the first few days, we had hit it off. Now we have a great connection. I can go to him for advice, whether it is about football or something else, and he’s there. That sums it up.
The biggest compliment is that he makes it so I don’t feel like an inexperienced centre half alongside him. It’s down to him that my confidence has built. |
Daily Mail