The latest development in the Virgil Van Dijk saga has seen the situation turn very unsavoury and this has led to the media starting to turn on the player himself and applaud Mauricio Pellegrino for his stance.

The media are not impressed by the latest developments in the Virgil Van Dijk to Liverpool transfer saga, whilst they are still happy to use it to produce headlines, some journalists have looked at the bigger picture and the fact that if Van Dijk does refuse to play and Saints cave in then it has a lot of ramifications in the future, players refusing to honour contracts will rip apart the game.

Perhaps it will have a good affect, perhaps the authorities from the Premier League, through UEFA and up to FIFA will recognise the issues in football and deal with them, but I somehow doubt it.

ESPN have hit the nail on the head with an article on their website this morning, with the headline "Van Dijk saga turns unsavoury but Saints should be lauded for staying firm" ESPN go on to say.

"Now their board have to back the Argentine by delivering on their promise to keep Van Dijk at least until the end of the upcoming season and stand up to player power."

"By effectively sending van Dijk into exile, Pellegrino has struck a blow not only for Saints but for every so-called smaller Premier League side who are bullied by their more illustrious rivals and egotistical players."

"However the real test of Southampton's determination not to cash in on their sought-after captain is still to come."

"How many clubs of Saints' stature have claimed a player will not be sold, only to go back on their word once that star name begins creating friction on the changing room?"

"When Southampton stood up to Liverpool so publicly in June those fans had their faith in the beautiful game partially restored, not least because Van Dijk himself only signed a lucrative six-year contract to become the best paid player in their history just last summer."

"They also remember how the imperious Dutchman spoke about his "pride" at the "honour" of being given the captain's armband following Jose Fonte's exit to West Ham in January."

"Where is Van Dijk's pride now as he trains alone while the rest of his teammates head off on a preseason tour of France? Where was his honour when he held alleged secret meetings with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp about a move to Anfield?"

Van Dijk should have been stripped of the armband as soon as those tawdry details began to emerge on newspaper back pages. That he wasn't was down to Southampton's belief he would act like a model professional, accept their decision not to sell and get his head down and prepare for the season in the right manner."

"But Van Dijk clearly has other ideas and continues to hanker over that switch to Merseyside. Now it is up to Southampton to show him bullies do not always win."

A very accurate overview of this situation and the one which football faces by Alex Crook and the whole article can be viewed using the link below, I think it sums up exactly what not just Saints fans are thinking, but also fans of those clubs who continually are preyed upon by the bigger clubs by those who think they have a god given right to take whatever they want.

In fairness most Liverpool fans I have spoken to on Merseyside or those that attend their games, although they want Van Dijk, they do not like to see it done in such a manner, they would rather it be done in the right way, the comments we have seen on social media cheering every underhand move, demanding we stop holding the player hostage etc are mainly from the armchair supporters, those that support clubs like Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea etc because they want to follow success and not for any other reason.

For that type of fan, created by the likes of Sky TV over the past 25 years or so this type of behaviour is acceptable unless it is the likes of Barcelona doing it to your club.

Read the full article below.

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/club/southampton/376/blog/post/3163939/van-dijk-s

Photo: Action Images

SanMarco added 10:40 - Jul 24 Good point about Sky TV - and the financial aspects of Sky Bet should never be forgotten. A lot of the rubbish we now have to put up with is linked to the creation of betting 'markets'. Get some information from 'Sky Sources' and then bet on Sky Bet. That's why 'Sky Sources' are usually wrong. Although we will lose VVD this summer I think, hard as it is, we need to say good riddance. The bottom line is he puts in a formal transfer request and then goes for the correct fee AND NOT TO LIVERPOOL.

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steve73 added 11:19 - Jul 24 The media have more than played their part in exacerbating this situation in the first place so I think it's a bit hypocritical of them to suddenly start praising us for taking a firm stance. These opinion pieces by Crook and others change like the wind and have no value other than to stir controversy. As for the player in question, I (like he) hope to never see him in a Saints shirt again. Conniving, scheming, underhanded little shit. And I think you're quite correct about proper Liverpool fans, I'm sure that in their heyday they prided themselves in their gentlemanly conduct both on and off the pitch. I remember being quite touched on some visits up there on how warmly they applauded the opposition for playing well for example. Their standards have clearly dropped quite markedly.

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pete_boggs added 12:02 - Jul 24 This is not Pellegrino's "stance". Pellegrino does what he's told by the Great Supremo. Reed is covering his ar*e and sending the poor chap out front to do his dirty work. Shame on you Reed, man up and make a statement yourself.
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SaintNick added 12:23 - Jul 24 Reed has already made the statement that Van Dijk is not for sale several weeks ago
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pintsizedsaint added 12:30 - Jul 24 I have to say I am surprised but not shocked by the VVD revelation. Once again we have a player willing to publicly act like a spoilt child in order to get out. Yet the fact he doesn't want to miss out on his loyalty bonus by handing in a request just confirms the fact football players nowadays are simply puppets for their Agents. But it actually doesn't take us down any new roads. We all knew VVD had been tapped up. This was clear. Just as clear is that Liverpool cannot make a bid without Southampton's "approval". If they did so without it, SFC will likely reignite the tapping up claim and LFC will face a deduction of points or a transfer ban. Lots of media chatter about Liverpool reaching out to make amends so to seek that approval. Will that happen? Probably - for the right price. The revelations mean it is easier now for Saints fans to hate VVD and not blame the club for cashing in. Yet, for me, this has now gone too far. The whole idea was to avoid yet another summer of sales of key players. Regardless of the context, if this happens the media will ignore what happened and point to yet another fire sale. In addition, selling this spoilt brat now will promote a reluctant acceptance that SFC players can do what they want. No, for me, VVD should be left to have a serious think about his situation. Nobody is bigger than the club and this needs to be reinforced by a firm stance. By all means we should look to recuperate VVD once he accepted his place, but send a message to all players (both at the club and prospective entrants) that this is not how it's done - and the club will sell when it wants to sell. Tell Liverpool it ain't happening and then move on. I have to say I am really disappointed in VVD. Yet another player who has let agent talk disease his brain. I totally accept the concept of more money, more prestige etc. but he only signed a six year contract last year, happily accepted the captaincy and was happy to receive the excellent therapy to accelerate his injury recovery. Clearly he did all that whilst thinking he couldn't give a monkeys about the club. And I'm not saying that with some teary eyed nostalgic look at player loyalty. I expected VVD to go next summer after quietly getting on with things and leaving for a big fee and the blessing of the club. VVD has a long way to go now. I sincerely hope the club make him walk that walk. Perhaps it will make him a better man.

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bstokesaint added 12:41 - Jul 24 I agree the media seem to have changed their stance somewhat on this one. It would be nice to think that everyone associated with the game has finally woken up to the fact that players are poisoning the very game they are paid millions to play. As a boy growing up and watching England in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups I couldn't think of anything more exciting. I was hooked and loved watching my national team. Now, I literally couldn't give a sh1t. I feel no connection to the current national team and just see them as a bunch of overpaid brats, not worthy of my support. And now with the likes of Lallana, Fonte and VVD disrespecting the Southampton captaincy in the same way I am really scared that my interest in the club world is heading the same way. I accept 'The Southampton Way' has been a necessary over recent seasons, but I don't accept the way players are now reacting to a change in stance that the club are trying to adopt and displaying an arrogance which completely disrespects all the hard-working fans who pay through the nose to fund their lavish lifestyles. They don't deserve it.

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Whiteknight added 12:43 - Jul 24 Nick, your point about Sky and armchair fans hits the nail on the head, coupled with the delusion that the Premier League is the best league in the World - by pretty much any measure it's not. Perhaps the only way to make a stand is for an organised supporters' boycott across the Premier League one weekend. See how the pundits and TV audiences like watching games with even less atmosphere than usual. An alternative would be for an organised covering up of the TV cameras across the grounds at a given point in each game!

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bstokesaint added 12:44 - Jul 24 And personally I would happily see VVD relegated to the reserves until he has the balls to apologise and do things properly. Make him miss the next World Cup and use any television money or budget transfer pot on one or two new centre backs. He needs to be made an example of or this will NEVER stop!
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lemmsy added 13:21 - Jul 24 Pete Boggs wits your problem with Les reed, In terms of making a stand did we not do so with vw and ms.also in terms of buying & selling were one of the most admired clubs helping us to actually punch above our weight considering our fan base.players come & go , there weren't too many complaints about Jayrod going for £14 mill❗️
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redwight added 14:01 - Jul 24 Lots of good posts here (except Pete Boggs). Let him train alone for as long as it takes. There's a world cup looming, which he will want to be part of. Seeing what side his bread is buttered, he'll accept the situation, get back in the team, have an outstanding world cup adding 10 - 20 million to his value and THEN we sell. Shame the BBC are saying he's as good as gone. Would be great to prove them wrong.

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halftimeorange added 14:19 - Jul 24 A player refusing to play is a step too far. It isn't just a Saints problem, it's endemic across the EPL. I cringed when I heard chants such as "We've got Virgil Van Dijk" knowing that what has happened with him was predictable. I agree with Whiteknight that the only way things are likely to change is if the fans stay away. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that that will happen at some clubs this season. When one's loyalty to a sport is regarded as merely making up the numbers - which is how I'm beginning to feel - then maybe it is time to walk away and pursue other more rewarding interests. That Van Dijk has chosen pre-season to act in this way displays not just unprofessionalism but contempt for his employers and those, like me, who contribute to his wages. The only other way to focus wantaway players minds on honouring their contracts is if all clubs act alike, too and consign them to a season of nothingness. Sadly, not many clubs can afford to treat their prized assets like that.

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patred added 14:21 - Jul 24 from Georgeweah blog.. a very good point that makes Van Dijk an even bigger Dijk... Do your job, and do it for the club who is paying you until that club agrees a fee with somebody else. Let’s not overlook that he has taken this stance before a game being played for the benefit of the victims of the Grenfell fire, I wonder what his team mate Ryan Bertrand makes of that? Dream move or not, this whole episode is not putting him in a very good light as far as being human is concerned. He seemed to be enjoying his trip to Disneyland Paris instead and I think Lucy put it best… Lucy Highnett @lucyhighnett Well it is the start of the school holidays so I'm glad he found someone who could take him.

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DPeps added 17:39 - Jul 24 The club is in a bit of bind about this. I think many of us would like to see VVD 'rot' in the reserves, but the reality is that we'd lose money as his value would decrease and we'd still be paying his wages. WBA are applauded for taking a firm stance with Berahino, but the stance probably cost the club a lot. Also, the days of players' loyalty to clubs are over. The sad reality is that players like VVD only come to play for us because we're an established stepping stone to other clubs, like Liverpool. If we freeze him out that might discourage other players for signing for us. It's a depressing reality, and like others it's enough to make me question my own commitment to a sport that is so addicted to money.

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legineloc added 18:56 - Jul 24 We have stand firm on VVD we can't let him train alone to force through a move to liverhampton, he is not bigger than the club & who is next in going down this road, our players will have their heads turned by bigger clubs, who will offer better wages & the chances of winning trophies, players need to do things right, 1 talk to your club & not other clubs, 2 hand in a transfer request 3 abide the clubs decision & not have a strop, I think no mater what he shouldn't be sold, who will go on strike next year Bertrand, Cedric we have draw a line in the sand & nip this in the bud

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pete_boggs added 20:09 - Jul 24 Isn't there a 10th Reed PR plant out there that can make my comment above into a -10? This would be a record for me.
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Consigliere added 20:11 - Jul 24 I would be very interested to know what his contract terms are. Obviously if player is genuinely unable to play through physical injury on or off the pitch or even some psychological problems off the pitch (death of a close relative for example) then the club would be bound to continue paying his salary, but a refusal to play for the club "because my heart isn't in it" is just another way of refusing to perform his side of the bargain. Its called "anticipatory breach" and normally allows the innocent party to accept rescission of the agreement and to sue for damages. Now, we don't want to put aside his contract for obvious reasons but I can see no obvious reason why the club should continue to pay him if he refused to perform. I certainly support the management in making him train alone but I would go a whole lot further and vigorously impose every performance clause in his contract that I could find, and whilst I was at it, I would be looking at suing his agent for the tort of unlawful conspiracy to induce a breach of contract, which is where I strongly suspect all this is coming from. Time to play hard ball.

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SanMarco added 23:11 - Jul 24 Have we actually got a 'reserves' for him to rot in? If he refuses to play then surely we don't pay. Who else would be able to decide to not do their job and continue to be paid? I have already said this about five times on here but the more I think about the more I feel that if he goes without making a formal request and gets given millions of OUR money for his 'inconvenience' then I will be more livid than I have ever been about a football matter. WE buy tickets and TV subscriptions - those are what would go to pay him a bonus for his disloyalty. It is not on and I hope the club realise that.

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Jesus_02 added 23:42 - Jul 24 Not to put myself in the firing line but TBH Nick "Reed has already made the statement that Van Dijk is not for sale several weeks ago" ...when Les says that it does seem to translate as "Saints welcome bids on..." The guy is there to buy and sell players not just buy them. Every time he says that the player seems to have one foot out the door!
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pete_boggs added 00:22 - Jul 25 Thanks guys I made it to -10.
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