07 Jun 2017 21:31:20
I can't stand Liverpool I hate the way that they don't buy young players and bring them on like us and other clubs do they wait for others to the hard work then take the glory for a finished player, not only that they do it in an underhand way they contact the player or his agent and try to turn his head to comit to them so any other teams who might be interested in them are not even bidding because he's already committed in his head. Then the club have to settle for the price they want to pay not what the market price.


1.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 04:22:04
As a Liverpool supporter, firstly I think we have conducted ourselves in a terrible and embarrassing manner. Frankly, myself and I would say the vast majority of our fans are embarrassed also by this incident. The fact of the matter is that we have done this far too many times so I hope this will be a real wake up call so we improve our dealings in transfers, because I can only imagine our already poor reputation will be further damaged. In a way, although I am certainly annoyed at the result, it may be a good thing that you guys held firm and hopefully it will give us the kick up the backside we deserve and need.

Next, you guys might well have some difficulties now with VVD, considering he wanted to join us, and that may indeed may be problematic if no other clubs come back in for him. He will be angry and disappointed at the outcome.
Man City lost interest when he chose Liverpool (it may return but who knows), and it appears Chelsea do not want anything to do with the asking price. It will be interesting to see how it plays out now, and just because you may have him for another year will not necessarily be a godsend to Southampton.

Third, in regards to your hatred of Liverpool, I can understand it but you also need to look at the way your club is run and take a realistic perspective. We may have done an awful lot of business with you guys, but so have many other clubs. Southampton is a feeder club, plain and simple. You guys can identify talent and develop it magnificently, and sometimes I wish we had your scouts. However, your business plan is to sell them onto bigger clubs such as Liverpool. A club like Southampton will truely struggle to become a top-tier club because it does not have the success, history and resources of the top 6 teams, which draw players to them. There is a reason why VVD was interested in joining us, and why many of your players have left in search of opportunities at bigger teams.

Lastly, while you may see it that way, I do not feel that we have taken the 'glory' of your 'hard work'. All of the Soton players still in our squad were developed by you guys to the level that interested us in purchasing them. And to be fair, Lallana has only really kicked on this season under Klopp, and Mané has scored more goals this past season for us than either of the two previous ones for you guys, which is a great feat considering he missed time due to AFCON and injury.

However I hope that we can repair our relationship with Southampton, but if not, that's understandable. Good luck for the upcoming season.

A deeply embarrassed Liverpool supporter.


2.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 09:35:08
Fair play for coming in here and apologising. You should have left it at the first paragraph though.

Our business model has changed btw, as all businesses grow no develop as do their models. Now that you've helped us clear our debts we are no longer in a position of having to sell players as soon as another club expresses an interest.

There is a little truth in what you say though, and to be honest I think if you'd managed to buy him and he did well, then after a season or two, one of the big clubs would take him off you in the same way.

Good luck with your other targets.


3.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 10:26:29
Read the Ed's response to a question on the Banter page. Explains everything very plausibly and much much better than any press outlet has. All I can add is maybe (big maybe) the Club thought VVD had agreed to another year when they made him captain? Ed's post explains Bertrand's face since January too.


4.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 11:05:33
You say VVD may be angry or disappointed. Shouldnt he be angry at Liverpool for not conducting their business in a professional manner and the sale falling through?


5.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 11:58:37
We are NOT a feeder club we have a set plan to progress ànd a club and make that next big step it is clubs like yours who keep turning the heads and poaching our best talent waving about wads of money stops us from having a consistent team just when we are just about getting there so it's clubs like yours don't like I team like ours finishing above the so called mighty Liverpool so you BUY our team instead of de le loping one of your own.

Mane scores when he feels like it he's great at the beginning and end of a season but goes off the boil in the middle so good luck there. Vvd might plus up but he did sign a 6 year contract 8 months ago so tough he's not on slave wages so he will just have to struggle on with more money than we get a year weekly.


6.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 15:57:53
Sealy fair play for your open and honest message. Agree with you on many levels. As much as I hate it our business model is a feeder club and hopefully that will change. One point I totally disagree on is that the history plays a part as to why our players leave for you, in honestly if we have to accept that we are a feeder club, Liverpool need to accept they are not a massive club anymore. But they are a wage structure above us and that's why players move, not for silverware as neither of us win any at the moment.


7.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 16:38:09
There is nothing to stop Liverpool lodging a formal offer or VVD asking for a move business is business just do it properly or don't get caught if you can't. After the recent episode with academy I would expect them to if learned a lesson-clearly not.


8.) 09 Jun 2017
09 Jun 2017 11:13:03
@Saints0001 It's been reported that Liverpool could face sanctions, such as a transfer ban, if they continued to try and sign van Dijk, which is why they formally retracted interest. I expect Manchester City to be the only club with a serious chance of signing him.


9.) 09 Jun 2017
09 Jun 2017 20:23:17
The thing is that a ban or fine should be imposed on liverpool for tapping the player and secondly they should be forced to buy the player at a price southampton would determine even if it is 1bn pounds. This is due to the fact that they instabilized the player and he will now be pushing for a move if not liverpool to other clubs and just a ban or fine will do southampton no justice at all.


10.) 10 Jun 2017
10 Jun 2017 15:21:05
Unfortunately, cases like these are very common and difficult to regulate, therefore it would be an even greater injustice to only punish Liverpool, when so many other clubs are, too, guilty.

As for them being forced into purchasing van Dijk for an absurd fee, even it were to happen it'd have no useful effect. It'd only vindicate Southampton, who do not want to sell, over abuse Liverpool for their misdemeanor, which is not excessive in context, and unlikely deter any other club from doing the same.