Celtic v Valencia in Euro cracker
Benkovic studying Van Dijk’s every move as he aims to emulate ex-Celt
PRESUMABLY the sages who claimed that Virgil van Dijk was no more than a flat-track bully during his time in Scotland have now gone into hiding.
Top of the English table while still unbeaten and into the last 16 of the Champions League, the Dutchman’s first full season as a Liverpool player could scarcely have gone better.
A colossus again for Jurgen Klopp as Manchester United were dismissed like a mid-table irrelevance on Sunday, the world-record £75million fee the German paid Southampton for the 27-year-old Dutch defender is no longer an issue simply because there is none better than him in that position right now.
For Filip Benkovic, Van Dijk’s every move on the field of play is an education. The same could also be said for a strategic career path that took him from Groningen to Celtic and to St Mary’s before Anfield.
Only by passing each test incrementally has the player become the powerhouse he is today.
‘He did it the right way in order to get to the highest level,’ said Celtic’s on-loan Leicester man.
‘For me, he is probably the best defender in the world right now. I look at the highlights of his games and I learn all the time.
‘As a player, I also want to go this way. But it’s got to be step by step. If you want to become a top player, one of the best in the world, you must be humble and trust in yourself.
‘I really trust in myself and I see that I have much progress to make on each part of my game. That’s for sure.
‘I want to develop in a similar way — step by step.’
There remains a niggling doubt as to where that development will take place in the New Year.
Although signed on a one-year loan from the Foxes, Benkovic could yet be recalled if, for example, interest is rekindled in Harry Maguire.
It’s not a scenario that Benkovic would encourage, though. He is happy and settled in Glasgow.
At 21, he has plenty of time to follow in Van Dijk’s footsteps.
‘I really hope that I will stay here until the end of the season,’ he stated. ‘The other coach (Leicester manager Claude Puel) has said the same thing. ‘It’s not a decision for me but he has said I can stay here and that’s good for me. ‘I think staying here for a year will make me improve as a player. ‘Coming from the Croatian league to the English Premier League is a very big difference. ‘I was only there for one month but I saw that it was a big step up. ‘I think this step, coming to Scotland, can make me better. ‘It’s a similar style of football. I really hope to keep going like this.
‘The least I can do is give 110 per cent for the coach, the team and the fans.’
There were times during Van Dijk’s two-year stay in Glasgow when, bluntly, he looked too good for Scottish football.
Signed before Neil Lennon’s last season as Celtic manager and present for the first of Ronny Deila’s terms, the Dutchman won his first Premiership medal by 29 points to Motherwell and his second by 17 points to Aberdeen.
It’s not just the addition of leaders Rangers to the mix that has made life much more awkward for Brendan Rodgers’ side this year.
Sunday’s loss to Hibernian came after reversals on the road to Hearts and Kilmarnock.
St Mirren, Livingston and Motherwell have also held the champions to a draw. The road to an eighth title has been littered with obstacles.
‘It’s a challenge we welcome,’ added Benkovic. ‘It’s very good for football and for this league.
‘I want a league that’s competitive. This can only make us better. We believe we are much better than the rest. But we must prove this on the field.’
Any justifiable criticism of Celtic this year — both on and off the park — must be placed in context.
Provided they win their game in hand, they will go back to the top of the league. Eliminating Leipzig and Rosenborg to qualify for the knock-out stage of the Europa League was a laudable achievement. And the clinching of the Betfred Cup earlier this month ensures the prospect of a third successive Treble cannot be dismissed.
‘This can be a really big achievement but we have to look at it day by day,’ said Benkovic.
‘I’m positive about it and I think we can do this. We must go game by game. We’ve done that until now and it’s going well, so, yes.’
Reflecting on that triumph over Aberdeen which ensured Celtic claimed the League Cup for the third successive time for the first time since the late 1960s, Benkovic added: ‘It makes me really happy that I won a trophy with this club. It was a really proud moment for me. It’s something that will stay in my heart all my life.
‘One of the main reasons I came to Celtic was to win a trophy.
‘It’s the first trophy of the season and, for me as a player, I want all of them.
‘I think we can do this. But we must stay calm and concentrate on each game between now and the end of the season.’