CONFIRMED - Virgil Van Dijk joins on Five Year Deal

[Lallana's Left Peg]

We turned down Cabaye, let's hope the black box got that one right.

 

You don't need the black box to see he's a very good player.

 

And you don't need the black box to know that his wages coupled with his age would be a commitment that Saints don't really like to make. And it appears a lot of clubs around the world who are better than Crystal Palace think the same.

[sadoldgit]

I must admit we are pretty slow at bringing in players, Certainly need another midfielder and it has to be the right price for the club blah blah....!!!

So many of the middle range clubs are buying some cracking players these days and I often think why did we not go for them.

 

Toons, Palace, Stoke and Sunderland to name a few.

 

Signing players is one thing, putting a squad together that can do what you want and can play together is another. Look at Manchester City. They bring in players at the drop of a hat yet their success rate isn't commensurate to the money they have spent on their squads. Be patient. Better to get the right player in than to sign someone for the sake of it.

[Batman]

Signing players is one thing, putting a squad together that can do what you want and can play together is another. Look at Manchester City. They bring in players at the drop of a hat yet their success rate isn't commensurate to the money they have spent on their squads. Be patient. Better to get the right player in than to sign someone for the sake of it.

 

it kinda is. last 5 years they have won many things

[sadoldgit]

They aren't the force they aimed to be either in Europe or in the Premiership - especially Europe. If I had spent that kind of money I would expect the kind of dominance shown by Manchester United or Liverpool when they were in their peek. Both kicked on at a higher level, something City have failed to do.

[CB Fry]

I must admit we are pretty slow at bringing in players, Certainly need another midfielder and it has to be the right price for the club blah blah....!!!

So many of the middle range clubs are buying some cracking players these days and I often think why did we not go for them.

 

Toons, Palace, Stoke and Sunderland to name a few.

LOL. Dry your bed. Let's see how we do this season compared to those galactico packed mega clubs, shall we?

[Batman]

They aren't the force they aimed to be either in Europe or in the Premiership - especially Europe. If I had spent that kind of money I would expect the kind of dominance shown by Manchester United or Liverpool when they were in their peek. Both kicked on at a higher level, something City have failed to do.

 

but they have been successful. the more teams spend, the more successful they are

[Lallana's Left Peg]

but they have been successful. the more teams spend, the more successful they are

 

No. The better players you have, the more successful you are. Not the more you spend.

[VectisSaint]

Wikipedia says he played 6 games for us on loan in 2011... Can anyone remember him?

Yep, thats why I mentioned him in the Notinghamtpn thread:

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?54827-Nottinghampton#.VcXTsflVhBc

Can't really believe we are interested in him, though he is surprisingly younger than I thought (25)

[Batman]

No. The better players you have' date=' the more successful you are. Not the more you spend.[/quote']

 

is it by luck that madrid, barca, united, PSG, Chelsea do the best in their leagues and in europe...?

[sadoldgit]

I am not saying they haven't been successful, but given the plan was to dominate Europe they clearly haven't been as successful as Liverpool and Manchester United have been. Player for player they have spent an awful lot more on trying to buy success than either of those two teams. The last time they did anything in Europe was 1970. They are hardly streets ahead of the main premiership contenders either.

Edited 8 August, 2015 by sadoldgit

[Lallana's Left Peg]

is it by luck that madrid, barca, united, PSG, Chelsea do the best in their leagues and in europe...?

 

No, because they have the better players.

[Batman]

I am not saying they haven't been successful, but given the plan was to dominate Europe they clearly haven't been as successful as Liverpool and Manchester United have been. Player for player they have spent an awful lot more on trying to buy success than either of those two teams.

 

not yet. but they are a hell of a lot closer than say, saints...or stoke, or spurs, or swansea

 

maybe, that is just luck

[Batman]

No' date=' because they have the better players.[/quote']

 

and paid top £$£$£$£ for most them

[Lallana's Left Peg]

and paid top £$£$£$£ for most them

 

Yes, but you didn't say the best players cost the most and the best clubs can only afford the best players.

 

You said that the more teams spend the more successful they are. And we know that isn't true.

[VectisSaint]

I must admit we are pretty slow at bringing in players

Pretty slow at bringing in the 6 players so far aren't we. Hopefully you were joking. Over 3 weeks until the transfer window closes, we know we still want 2 but thats not anything to do with being slow.

[Batman]

Yes, but you didn't say the best players cost the most and the best clubs can only afford the best players.

 

You said that the more teams spend the more successful they are. And we know that isn't true.

 

generally, it is.

city are more successful than us, we are more successful than MK Dons

[Lallana's Left Peg]

generally, it is.

city are more successful than us, we are more successful than MK Dons

 

So how come Cardiff got relegated a few years ago despite spending £60m+

 

How come QPR have gone down twice after spending more than most teams in the bottom half of the table?

 

How come teams in the Championship with the biggest budgets routinely finish well below where they should and below teams with much smaller budgets?

 

Spending money does not mean you are more successful. It gives you a better chance in general, as the presumption is that it means you have better players - but we know it doesn't work like that.

 

Having the better players means you are more successful.

[Batman]

So how come Cardiff got relegated a few years ago despite spending £60m+

 

How come QPR have gone down twice after spending more than most teams in the bottom half of the table?

 

How come teams in the Championship with the biggest budgets routinely finish well below where they should and below teams with much smaller budgets?

 

Spending money does not mean you are more successful. It gives you a better chance in general, as the presumption is that it means you have better players - but we know it doesn't work like that.

 

Having the better players means you are more successful.

generally it is though. generally, the best teams spend more

there are of course, exceptions to the rule either way

[sadoldgit]

is it by luck that madrid, barca, united, PSG, Chelsea do the best in their leagues and in europe...?

 

You haven't mentioned Manchester City in that list....

[sadoldgit]

So how come Cardiff got relegated a few years ago despite spending £60m+

 

How come QPR have gone down twice after spending more than most teams in the bottom half of the table?

 

How come teams in the Championship with the biggest budgets routinely finish well below where they should and below teams with much smaller budgets?

 

Spending money does not mean you are more successful. It gives you a better chance in general, as the presumption is that it means you have better players - but we know it doesn't work like that.

 

Having the better players means you are more successful.

 

Totally agree. It is not how much you spend but who you spend it on.

[Whitey Grandad]

Totally agree. It is not how much you spend but who you spend it on.

 

Didn't I read recently that wage bill was a bigger correlation to success than purchase price?

[sadoldgit]

Didn't I read recently that wage bill was a bigger correlation to success than purchase price?

 

That would make sense.

[Wade Garrett]

Is Virgil signing then?

[sadoldgit]

Stop changing the subject!

 

 

 

[Wade Garrett]

Stop changing the subject!

 

 

 

 

I can't get all sanctimonious, I'm the world's worst for going off topic!

[Convict Colony]

Whilst we play the try and understand what Virgil is doing on twitter game !!! he has favourited a tweet from Fraser about our win on Thursday.

[gammon cheeks]

Louis Dunk looked good tonight playing for Brighton . Left sided CB very mobile and composed on the ball.

[Saint-camo]

Chris Sutton on Final Score today saying that VVD is as good as, if not better than John Stones. Maybe a little biased but still..

[Crab Lungs]

I really, really don't rate Stones. He might develop, but he really isn't that good. I can only hope VVD is actually better than that

[Lallana's Left Peg]

Chris Sutton on Final Score today saying that VVD is as good as, if not better than John Stones. Maybe a little biased but still..

 

Chris Sutton also said VvD was worth £25m during commentary on Wednesday.

[Badger]

Heard a reported comment on 5Live that Martinez said Everton will spend big between now and the close of the transfer window.

[Convict Colony]

Heard a reported comment on 5Live that Martinez said Everton will spend big between now and the close of the transfer window.

 

Won't help them if their manager is crap

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[SuperSAINT]

@SimonPeach: Jose Fonte believes Virgil van Dijk would be a high-quality addition if #SaintsFC can coax the defender away from #Celtic

 

@SimonPeach: Fonte on Van Dijk: "I know he's a good player, obviously. He's a guy that we've been linked to, but he's not here yet" #SaintsFC #Celtic

 

@SimonPeach: Fonte: "If (Van Dijk) comes, he'll add quality to the team & even more competition at the back, so it will be interesting" #SaintsFC #Celtic

[Suhari]

@SimonPeach: Jose Fonte believes Virgil van Dijk would be a high-quality addition if #SaintsFC can coax the defender away from #Celtic

 

@SimonPeach: Fonte on Van Dijk: "I know he's a good player, obviously. He's a guy that we've been linked to, but he's not here yet" #SaintsFC #Celtic

 

@SimonPeach: Fonte: "If (Van Dijk) comes, he'll add quality to the team & even more competition at the back, so it will be interesting" #SaintsFC #Celtic

 

Now we would be going ape**** if the captain of another club said that about one of our players.

[Saints foreva]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/everton-join-southampton-transfer-race-6220814

[Pilchards]

Latest snippet I've heard, Celtic are trying to get a Scandinavian CB in so that Van Dijk can leave. We are after a loan signing plus a top midfielder with premiership experience.

Pinch of salt job from me.

[JxgrSaint]

@JongsmaJongsma: @SimonPeach In my humble opinion his potential is higher than that of Lovren and Alderweireld. Great on the ball, but good in duels too.

 

@JongsmaJongsma: @SimonPeach To clarify, he can operate 'on his own', doesn't need to be guided. Big difference with other two I think.

 

Jongsma is pretty knowledgeable so sounds good...

[Suhari]

Latest snippet I've heard, Celtic are trying to get a Scandinavian CB in so that Van Dijk can leave. We are after a loan signing plus a top midfielder with premiership experience.

Pinch of salt job from me.

 

Any ideas on name for the midfielder?

[Badger]

@JongsmaJongsma: @SimonPeach In my humble opinion his potential is higher than that of Lovren and Alderweireld. Great on the ball, but good in duels too.

 

@JongsmaJongsma: @SimonPeach To clarify, he can operate 'on his own', doesn't need to be guided. Big difference with other two I think.

 

Jongsma is pretty knowledgeable so sounds good...

 

But he doesn't make it any cleaere that VVD will come to Saints, just that he's a good player.

[Badger]

Latest snippet I've heard, Celtic are trying to get a Scandinavian CB in so that Van Dijk can leave. We are after a loan signing plus a top midfielder with premiership experience.

Pinch of salt job from me.

 

Given Celtics track record of turning good players into £10m ones (Wanyama & VVD for two) perhaps we should just look to find out the proposed replacement and hijack the bid. Cut out the middleman as it were.

[Delmary]

Latest snippet I've heard, Celtic are trying to get a Scandinavian CB in so that Van Dijk can leave. We are after a loan signing plus a top midfielder with premiership experience.

Pinch of salt job from me.

 

Alex Song?

[SuperSAINT]

Heard a reported comment on 5Live that Martinez said Everton will spend big between now and the close of the transfer window.

 

Linked with Shaqiri...

 

By the sounds of this they'll need a left-back too

 

http://bbc.in/1W9ffUk

[Pat from Poole]

Now we would be going ape**** if the captain of another club said that about one of our players.

 

Totally agree.

 

Not the most ethical thing to do.

[CB Fry]

@SimonPeach: Jose Fonte believes Virgil van Dijk would be a high-quality addition if #SaintsFC can coax the defender away from #Celtic

 

@SimonPeach: Fonte on Van Dijk: "I know he's a good player, obviously. He's a guy that we've been linked to, but he's not here yet" #SaintsFC #Celtic

 

@SimonPeach: Fonte: "If (Van Dijk) comes, he'll add quality to the team & even more competition at the back, so it will be interesting" #SaintsFC #Celtic

LOL.

 

I look forward to some genius on here telling me how this is, like, completely different to anything Steven Gerrard or Brendan Rodgers did with regard to our players previously. Because Liverpool are all evil and stuff and what Fonte has done here is, you know, fine. Obviously fine.

[scotty]

LOL.

 

I look forward to some genius on here telling me how this is, like, completely different to anything Steven Gerrard or Brendan Rodgers did with regard to our players previously. Because Liverpool are all evil and stuff and what Fonte has done here is, you know, fine. Obviously fine.

 

 

If you can't beat them........

 

Personally, I dislike the way players get tapped up by other players, but its understandable. Likewise with agents, they're c*nts but that's their job. What I can't stomach is tapping up by the national coach. Hodgsons comments before the big exodus were disgraceful, and as it turned out, somewhat misleading; anyone here think well see Lambert in an England shirt again now he's played for a "big" club?

[TwoPints]

LOL.

 

I look forward to some genius on here telling me how this is, like, completely different to anything Steven Gerrard or Brendan Rodgers did with regard to our players previously. Because Liverpool are all evil and stuff and what Fonte has done here is, you know, fine. Obviously fine.

Makes me think this is an authorised statement and the deal is done. Not like Jose to speak so candidly about another teams player.

 

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk

[scorchio21]

LOL.

 

I look forward to some genius on here telling me how this is, like, completely different to anything Steven Gerrard or Brendan Rodgers did with regard to our players previously. Because Liverpool are all evil and stuff and what Fonte has done here is, you know, fine. Obviously fine.

 

This is completely different to anything Steven Gerrard or Brendan Rodgers did with regard to our players previously. The SPL is a Mickey Mouse league whose players we can fully expect to want a move to a proper league. Moving from Saints to a team 2-3 places higher in the same league is a very different thing.

[Ultimatt]

Any chance the deals done but we're waiting for Celtic to finish their CL qualifying? Wouldn't seem wise for us to put all our eggs in 1 basket only to lose out 4 days before the transfer window shuts. A lot of things seem to suggest this to be the case.

[Graffito]

This is completely different to anything Steven Gerrard or Brendan Rodgers did with regard to our players previously. The SPL is a Mickey Mouse league whose players we can fully expect to want a move to a proper league. Moving from Saints to a team 2-3 places higher in the same league is a very different thing.

 

Not if you're Mickey Mouse it isn't. Don't see the difference myself.

[ericofarabia]

What I don't get is all this "Celtic waiting till they've qualified for The CL Group Stage" then will sell him.

Surely they'd want to keep their best players and hope to get through to the next stage, or are they basically admitting they can't get any further than that and will just milk the cash cow

and get some extra dosh in from Van Dijk as well, regardless of whether they qualify or not.

Either way it leaves them with a small window of opportunity (as it does us if we don't get him) to get a replacement in before the transfer window closes.

 

All rather strange.