Virgil Van Dijk has spoken to the Liverpool Echo about how he is not worried about a hostile reception and is relishing a return to the place that made him a household name yet he appears to treat with nothing more than distain.

Some players have a touch of class about them, that is shown when they make a return to their old stamping grounds, any player who leaves a club usually gets a rough ride from those who formerly cheered him, but the level of that welcome is usually determined in how they left the club.

In recent years the likes of Luke Shaw, Callum Chambers, Rickie Lambert and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain have returned to St Mary's to a reasonable welcome, Adam Lallana has had a rough ride, perhaps unfairly given his years of service to the club before leaving, whereas for Dejan Lovren it seems that he will never be forgiven for his "heads already in Liverpool" jibe.

Virgil Van Dijk is set to receive an even hotter welcome than Lovren due to his behaviour over the past 8 months.

This will not be the usual football supporters being miffed about a player leaving, this is more than that, it is about a spoiled brat of a player who although happy to be paid a not inconsiderable amount to sit on his rear end injured for the first six months of the year, repaid his employers and more poignantly the fans who sung his name by going behind their backs and negotiating with Liverpool, but then refusing to train with the squad or play when not allowed to just leave when he wanted to.

That would have been bad enough, but he did not even have the class of the likes of Morgan Schneiderlin of Victor Wanyama, yes they had public outbursts, but they then accepted that they had to stay at St Mary's and put in a final season for the club that meant they left with respect from the Saints supporters.

But Van Dijk could not even do that, when he finally realised he had to start playing or he would find himself sat in the reserves, he put in a series of performances that were so far off his previous level of effort and committment it was embarrasing for him as a man let alone a so called professional football player.

That is why Saints eventually reached the end of their tether with him and stopped picking him and were quite happy to let him go to Liverpool for a grossly inflated fee.

But Van Dijk cannot even show a small bit of remorse or gratitude to either Saints as his former employers or sadly the fans who have done nothing wrong, he has to make a crass statement to the Liverpool Echo about how he is relishing the return and doesn't care if he is booed.

“What can you do? Maybe they can boo the whole game, what can you do about it? You can’t do anything about it."

“I made the decision, I have enjoyed every bit of it and I am very grateful for everything that they (Southampton) did for me. I have moved on, they have moved on."

“I know they are struggling and we need to win. I am going there with only one mindset and that is to win."

“Obviously it will be nice to see the players I have played with and the friends I have there but, for me, it is going to be about one thing only and that is to win the game.”

Although times have been tough since his departure, almost under the radar, results have improved since Lovren left, clearly in December the morale of the squad was affected as was shown after a dismal home defeat to Leicester City when he was dropped from the squad.

But since it was announced that he was leaving, yes we dropped down the table, but in the 8 games we have played we have lost only once and found ourselves in the last 16 of the FA Cup, if we can continue that improvement then perhaps Van Dijk might just find himself regretting not staying at St Mary's till the end of the season, even now Saints have a better chance of landing a trophy than Van Dijk does, we are more likely to win the FA Cup than they the Champions League.

Indeed on curent form we are better than them, in their last four matches they have been knocked out of the FA Cup and took only 4 points from 3 Premier League games, in the same period, we have progressed to the next round of the FA Cup and took 5 points.

On Sunday Dejan Lovren will be relieved, that is if he is even playing or Van Dijk for that matter as their partnership is not exactly strong as evidenced in the past few games, but Lovren will no longer be public enemy number 1, that will be reserved for Virgil Van Dijk, a spoilt brat of a player who will receive abuse, not because he went to a bigger club for more money, but because of his behaviour as a man !

Photo: Action Images

saintsaintsaint added 14:36 - Feb 6 Let's hope Carrillo gives him a proper going over, scores a header against him and wins a penalty from him which JWP duly dispatches for a 2-0 win.
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GingerMark added 14:44 - Feb 6 "Although times have been tough since his departure, almost under the radar, results have improved since Lovren left, clearly in December the morale of the squad was affected as was shown after a dismal home defeat to Leicester City when he was dropped from the squad." You mean Van Dijk?
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saintjf added 14:58 - Feb 6 In the past when we have had a go at players that left it has upset Saints as much as the opposition and not made for a good game because of the atmosphere. The Saints players may not hate him and may wonder what reception they will get on returning once they leave. The singing and shouting at Lovren got out of hand and took over all the energy that should be directed positively at Saints.. Don't expect this to be popular but it does show us to be bit small time when we do this. I dislike them both but it is just a job to them.

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BaselSaint added 15:02 - Feb 6 Forget them - they`ve gone... Lets make it a cauldron, hot and loud. Once they go one down they will fall apart. If Mo Salah isn`t playing to his best of course. If Lemina doesnt start I will be horrified.
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SanMarco added 15:08 - Feb 6 You've got a thumbs-up from me saintjif. With the exception of a poor game Lallana had a while back I am not sure all the poison actually helps. Arrogant players see it as a form of compliment and it surely distracts our own players. Why abuse Lovren - better to laugh at Liverpool for buying him. It would be lovely to say the same about VVD but early days yet - here's hoping for his 'nightmare return' on Sunday though...

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A1079 added 17:25 - Feb 6 In my experience, spending the time during the game venting anger and spleen towards former players or managers has rarely helped our team and has often back-fired. It is pointless and shows a degree of immaturity. I doubt, in reality that VVD or any of the former players will be bothered by any booing, in fact, it will probably spur them on. If we win, then may be some rival chanting at the end will be appropriate, but during the game we have to focus on our team and supporting them and driving them to a win. Away from home our support is good and I have no doubt has helped the team. We need to do more of that at home. We have too much of a vested interest in trying to help our team across the line this season and to support them loud and clear rather than waste our energy on ex-players who care little for us or what we do.

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darthvader added 18:14 - Feb 6 Own goal from him and sending off whilst being injured by him trying to Ktake out our goal machine Stephens
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SaintPaulVW added 18:48 - Feb 6 Going a bit Yoda, 'In football never say something to someone on the pitch or shut you up they will'
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trampslykeus added 19:17 - Feb 6 Does anyone remember the game with Blackburn in the 70s with John Bailey getting enormous stick? About the only time I remember teams getting put off by the crowd. It was the return game and Osgood and Williams were sent off in the away game.
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1970 added 19:36 - Feb 6 It would be great to create an anthem just for sh**epool and all the bums they keep buying from us if we could just keep singing it no matter what the score it would be priceless imo, the likes of lovren, van sh**e and liar-lana have no regrets about leaving there only where they are because of money sh***pool are deluded if they think otherwise coyr
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SanMarco added 19:36 - Feb 6 5-0 at home if I remember rightly trampslykeus.
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trampslykeus added 20:13 - Feb 6 Happy days when we used to play more than one up front and forwards scored goals
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mattthelegend added 22:20 - Feb 6 Just ignore him, don’t give him or the scouse the satisfaction of acknowledging him.
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REEDYREEDOREEDZ added 09:26 - Feb 7 Liverpool are away to us on Sunday at 4:30pm and then away to Porto in the Champions League on Wednesday night. Could Klopp rotate a few players for the Saints game? This could be a good opportunity for Saints to nick a point or three!
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SaintBrock added 10:48 - Feb 7 Too much is made of this. van Dyke is just another player to have left us for more money and frankly he has never been as good as the hype surrounding him. I do not do booing, all rather boorish! We have to worry about Salah. Stevens is not good enough, sharp enough or attentive enough to cope with the Egyptian and the bloke could bang in a hat trick. In fact I would play Yoshida who at least is fast and good in the ai.

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LordDZLucan added 13:43 - Feb 7 Targeting an individual is sometimes effective. I can remember Grant Holt being continuously told he was a sh*t Rickie Lambert during a game against Norwich a few seasons ago and after about 60 minutes he was reduced to a shadow of his former self and had to be substituted! Personally I'm too busy having a go at the officials to worry about giving a player the bird.

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