FORMER Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk admits Southampton are still trying to adapt to new manager Claude Puel’s methods and insists their start to the season has not been good enough.
The Saints have drawn twice and lost once in their opening three Premier League games, including Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Davie Moyes’ Sunderland.
Van Dijk said: “We had an amazing season last year when we finished sixth and we need to try to reach that level again.
“Obviously it’s going to be hard with all the changes, but we need to adapt soon. Everything’s a bit new so we need to adapt as well, but that’s no excuse.
“The manager wants us to play a different style of football, it takes a bit of time and we need to adapt on everything.
“It’s not good enough. As a team we can’t be happy with a draw against Sunderland at home, with all due respect. We can’t be happy with the performance and the result and we need to do much better.
“I’m disappointed and that’s the worst feeling to go into the international break. It wasn’t good enough.”
Meanwhile, Van Dijk’s Southampton team-mate Fraser Forster has been included in Sam Allardyce’s first England international squad for Sunday’s World Cup opener in Slovakia.
The former Hoops favourite is one of three keepers named by the new boss, along with Manchester City’s frozen-out Joe Hart and Burnley’s Tom Heaton.
With Hart having a shocker at the Euros in France and now surplus to requirements at Celtic’s Champions League Group C rivals Manchester City, the former Celtic goalkeeper is favourite to be Allardyce’s first choice keeper for England’s World Cup campaign which includes ties against Scotland.
Southampton signed Van Dijk, Forrster and Victor Wanyama from Celtic for fees totalling over £30m. Wanyama has since moved onto Tottenham and at the weekend spoke of his affection for Celtic, which you can read HERE.
