CONFIRMED - Virgil Van Dijk joins on Five Year Deal

Thanks for the generous comments here, CG. Its interesting how you and plenty of Feyenoord fans take a reasoned and relaxed approach to players leaving to further their careers, wheras most on here go into a rage when ours depart, although much of that is to do with the manner of their leaving I suppose.

 

You mention VW, and a good example of someone not coming out of things well at the moment with a sulk, but there you go, thata a pampered prima donna player nowadays for you.

 

I like your views of VVD , and look forward to seeing him play for Saints.

 

(Who can we have next season ?)

Yes thanks for the great appraisal of VVD. I've been waiting all day for some news, looks like I'll have to wait another 23.5 hours.

Just a comment on the fact people on here rage when our players leave and Celtic/Feyenoord fans don't when theirs leave: for me I would feel less aggravated if our players joined teams away from the Premier league - I would then probably cheer my news favourite German/Spanish/French team with their great new ex-Saints player. But I cannot cheer on Spurs/ManU/Liverpool/Arsenal etc. Lets only sell abroad please!

Hi CG.

Celtic are obviously a big club: why is it they seem to spend very little on players? Is it because they won't need to until Rangers come back to provide competition or are they prudent with their money (unlike the old Rangers)?

Hi CG.

 

Celtic are obviously a big club: why is it they seem to spend very little on players? Is it because they won't need to until Rangers come back to provide competition or are they prudent with their money (unlike the old Rangers)?

Alternatively, the Scottish Premier League is not very rich, despite club size. Ranger's spending was the reason they went bust, Celtic's keeping up with the jones'es was paid for by CL money. Ergo, having not qualified for the last few years they cannot spend anymore.

Hi CG.

 

Celtic are obviously a big club: why is it they seem to spend very little on players? Is it because they won't need to until Rangers come back to provide competition or are they prudent with their money (unlike the old Rangers)?

Scottish league TV deal is worth something like £15m per season. Not for Celtic. For everyone.

Compare that with prize for finishing bottom of the Premier League which is about eight times that.

So Ulrich Van G has the airport locked down but who is our hotel spy for hampshire ?

"Celtic have also renewed their interest in 21-year-old Dinamo Zagreb defender Simunovic"

...maybe we could just rule out the middle man and go straight for this one!?

 

If you had been real smart, you would have been looking at the best XI from the U21 Euro finals and signed Jannik Vestergaard from Werder Bremen, instead of looking in Scotland ...

If you had been real smart, you would have been looking at the best XI from the U21 Euro finals and signed Jannik Vestergaard from Werder Bremen, instead of looking in Scotland ...

Should the black box say no......

You may laugh connor but credit where its due, he's been a great teacher. Youve nailed that aspect of journalism.

Hello guys, Celtic fan here with a keen interest in Southampton. I like how your club is run and you guys are my English team so to speak. Good to see Vic doing well and hopefully you guys keep a hold of him & I hope big Fraser is back from his bad injury sooner rather than later.

 

As already mentioned we have agreed a fee with Dinamo Zagreb for Croatia u21 international Jozo Simunovic of around £4.5m. We don't usually spend that sort of money on any player so I think it's safe to assume Celtic are confident of selling Van Dijk to you guys and this guy is his replacement. There's no way we would be spending that much on a player if we weren't selling him especially since we've already brought 4 or 5 new players in.

 

As for VVD, he's one of the best of not the best centre backs I've ever seen at Celtic. The guy is a class act and is far, far too good for the Scottish league, he has to move for his own good. He's tall, fast, great at tackling and very strong. He's also very good with the ball at his feet and can pick a pass out of nowhere. He does tend to leave the defensive line and go for a run up the pitch with the ball. Sometimes it results in a goal or sometimes he gives the ball away trying to take on too many players. I'm sure he won't try anything silly like that in the BPL though, he is an intelligent player. I think it'll take him a few games to get used to the physicality of the BPL but once he settles in he'll be solid. He will be a Southampton player before the deadline.

 

I'll be keeping a close eye on Southampton this season, good luck for the rest of the season.

Can he play right back? Our current right back is work in progress defensively and the back up option is dog ****e so be good if he can.

Thanks for the generous comments here, CG. Its interesting how you and plenty of Feyenoord fans take a reasoned and relaxed approach to players leaving to further their careers, wheras most on here go into a rage when ours depart, although much of that is to do with the manner of their leaving I suppose.

 

You mention VW, and a good example of someone not coming out of things well at the moment with a sulk, but there you go, thata a pampered prima donna player nowadays for you.

 

I like your views of VVD , and look forward to seeing him play for Saints.

 

(Who can we have next season ?)

You're welcome, I hope he's very successful at the Saints.

Nir Bitton is probably the next in line for a big money move somewhere. Another class act not far away from Van Dijk quality wise. But I'd like to keep a hold of him for a while longer if you don't mind?

Hi CG.

 

Celtic are obviously a big club: why is it they seem to spend very little on players? Is it because they won't need to until Rangers come back to provide competition or are they prudent with their money (unlike the old Rangers)?

Hello,

As mentioned the money in the Scottish game is miniscule compared to the money thrown at the BPL. For example for winning the league in Scotland the prize money is something like £2m, that's it. Another thing is Champions league, if we qualify for that and make the group stages we're guaranteed at least £20m (Prize money, win bonuses, TV money, ticket sales etc.) Sadly we've failed to qualify for the CL 2 years in a row and lost out on roughly £40m, some of which would've been invested back into the team. But instead we're in the Europa league where we'll make roughly £8m, which is good for us don't get me wrong but seems tiny after missing out on the £20m.

We've pretty much just bought the best Scottish talents from other clubs in our league the past few seasons. Which is great don't get me wrong I love seeing homegrown players in our team but I think that's partly the reason we aren't qualifying for the Champions league. These players are capable of putting in great performances in the league but when it comes to the big games they lack the quality needed to see us through. Which is why we all (Celtic fans) would like to see more money invested into the team before the CL qualifiers as it will help us quality and ultimately earn us more money.

You may laugh connor but credit where its due, he's been a great teacher. Youve nailed that aspect of journalism.

Thanks Richard.

Can he play right back? Our current right back is work in progress defensively and the back up option is dog ****e so be good if he can.

He probably could do a job there if urgently needed, I wouldn't play him there though. He's not one for bombing up the wings and swinging in accurate crosses. He's the one usually on the end of the crosses.

Sky sources now saying fee not agreed x

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Sky sources now saying fee not agreed x

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

This is getting silly now.

Sky sources now saying fee not agreed x

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

F**king hell. We are going to lose him to someone else.

This should spell the end for Uncle Les.

Take absolutely no notice of "Sky Sources".

How many times....

Wouldn't surprise me if spurs came in for him just to **** us off

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Don't know anymore details than that but was on the ticker.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

F**king hell. We are going to lose him to someone else.

 

This should spell the end for Uncle Les.

£20?

Sky sources now saying fee not agreed x

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

But has he travelled down? Is it all done bar the final fee? Can't imagine Celtic would be bringing in replacements if it wasn't all but done.

Take absolutely no notice of "Sky Sources".

 

How many times....

So why isnt the deal closed and announced. A f**king year in the making apparently, why does it need until the last minute ?

F**king hell. We are going to lose him to someone else.

 

This should spell the end for Uncle Les.

So why isnt the deal closed and announced. A f**king year in the making apparently, why does it need until the last minute ?

If

IF you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;

If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,

if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

So why isnt the deal closed and announced. A f**king year in the making apparently, why does it need until the last minute ?

It's a laugh? Weather wasn't great for the photos maybe? Makes a better story if it's done on the last day too.

If

 

IF you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

 

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;

If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

 

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

 

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,

if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Love this ! Nothing on sky ticker re fee any different since this morning

So why isnt the deal closed and announced. A f**king year in the making apparently, why does it need until the last minute ?

To p1ss you off even more nothing better than watching you making a d1ck of yourself daily

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I thought Monk had pretty much confirmed he has signed? why are people still listening to Sky ??

10pm again?

Could do with a K,Billy or Guan pre-official announcement post to wrap this one up nicely. Chaps?

I thought Monk had pretty much confirmed he has signed? why are people still listening to Sky ??

Because they are thick as f**k.

So why isnt the deal closed and announced. A f**king year in the making apparently, why does it need until the last minute ?

Oh no Laughing Boy's back.

Oh no Laughing Boy's back.

It's pretty much as telling as a kbilly or Guan post. When Alpine rants about about something he hasn't got a clue about (which is most things, tbf), almost always the opposite happens hours later. Good times.

TBF, Alps is still one of us, a passionate Saint! His passion just manifests itself in a slightly different way

TBF, Alps is still one of us, a passionate Saint! His passion just manifests itself in a slightly different way

Diplomacy; You have it.

Let's face it, imagine your Les Reed, you could get the VVD signing done nice and early with no fuss or drag it out and watch Alpine have a coronary on here, what would you choose?

Bored of 'set to'...

£20?

Lol

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/southampton/11835664/Southampton-set-to-sign-Virgil-van-Dijk-from-Celtic.html

Stand down til tomorrow then! If he is as good as our last deadline day CB signing then we will be laughing.

With a solid and settled defence hopefully no more 1-5-3-2 formation for us!

Stand down til tomorrow then! If he is as good as our last deadline day CB signing then we will be laughing.

 

With a solid and settled defence hopefully no more 1-5-3-2 formation for us!

It says expect to sign him today mate!

It says expect to sign him today mate!

Oh, I thought the article was just posted i.e for tomorrows paper!

Turkish has a point..

Oh, I thought the article was just posted i.e for tomorrows paper!

No check the time 9.13pm

It says expect to sign him today mate!

I'm nursing a semi already

No check the time 9.13pm

I imagine it is for tomorrow's paper - it does happen quite often. Were Jeremy Wilson expecting it before we all go to bed, he probably would have written 'tonight'.

Need to watch out for the preemptive news.....new pie supplier or some such.

The media team do like to fluff us a little these days.

If

 

IF you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

 

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;

If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

 

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

 

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,

if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Koeman going to play 4-4 ****ing 2?

Sticky then - interesting ; )

Koeman going to play 4-4 ****ing 2?

I could believe the pina-coladas and the dancing on the bar as the real reason for the operation.

Ooohhhh.

Sticky.

Like.

Alex Crook is hammering F5 right now.