Virgil van Dijk looks like a level-headed footballer, so I don’t think his game will be upset by his agent’s loose lips. He has enjoyed a remarkably successful first season at Celtic Park but any attempt by his representatives to create an earner this summer is likely to be inhibited by the three years remaining on his Celtic contract.
There is always a risk of serious injury, but short of that, Virgil’s market value will not diminish in the next 12 months and may even appreciate. He is in a completely different situation from Victor Wanyama and Gary Hooper, who glided into the last two and one year of their contracts respectively.
It’s a truism of football that those spending a nation’s the mineral wealth on football players tend to get what they want, but it remains to be seen if a handful of Champions League performances are enough to tempt this kind of approach onto the table. Great player though he promises to be, Virgil’s not been tested at the top level over a prolonged period.
Thanks again for all your support of the Mary’s Meals Malawi school kitchen project ahead of Friday’s CQteN St Patrick’s Day dinner. You can get involved here.
For whisky aficionados, we have a very special auction running between now and 12:00 on Friday. We have bottle No. 1 of a limited edition (291 in total) Craigallachie Telford’s Bridge, in a wooden box and presentation cardboard tube, whit an authentication certificate.
Bids are by email only to auction@celticquicknews.co.uk. This is a rare and valuable bottle, an opening bid of £100 is on the table. Shipping within UK and Ireland is included. Please include contact details and your bid amount.
Rest in Peace, Rose Theresa Brennan, who died yesterday, and our thoughts and prayers to Martin42 on the loss of his mother, for the difficult days ahead.
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Name changed, thats better,
Doc.
Sent an answer to that Message on the last blog,where will I find your answer??.
Rest In Peace, Rose Theresa.
You must have seen some amazing changes from the world you were born into.
Condolences to all your family.
god bless the brennan family.
proudbhoy,
I’m in the relative comfort of Gap Ridge in Karratha, working at the gas plant, looking forward to 40 degrees tomorrow.
AR
Deepest condolences with the Brennan family
Long may your memories last.
Timhorton,
Jordan Henderson has been sensational this season.
Kenny saw the potential…….Brendan saw the player.
Mr.Rogers is one incredible manager,mate.
Thoughts with the Brennan family.
LB
Cracking article in today’s ‘Gazzetta dello Sport’ supplement on Josh Rae the 13 year old goalie Celtic have just signed.
Obviously done their homework on the bhoy -will never catch on in Scotland.
He’s a Tim, à great talent who also chips in with A few goals from free kicks and penalties and his idol is the holy goalie.
Atletico Madrid had him on trial and wanted to take him to Spain when he was 12. Liverpool and Everton were also after him.
Would post a link but I’m on my ‘phone.
HH!!
Paul67 and Martin42 , my deepest sympathy for your loss.
I’ll raise a glass to her on Friday night .
Sanna
sincere condolences to you and your family Paul..
Martin/Paul
Thoughts with you yours
HH
antipodean red
13:20 on 11 March, 2014
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Sounds good.. 4/1 roster ?
Tough going.. finished up in solomon in november. Wanted to work local until the summer is over. 5/6 weeks left in current job then hoping to get north again .
Hoping to return home next year so another stint up there would be great. Few jobs seem to be ramping up soon.
CQN Cheltenham tips to be posted here and save the page for use all week.
One tip a week wracks my brain so good luck to all those entering:))
http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/?p=14841&cpage=20#comments
Tell you how good Victor Wanyama really is…..
First 12 games in Southampton’s season…..ever present Vic…..22 points….top 4…..hardly any goals conceded,thanks to the Holy Goalie too.
Vic breaks his leg,Artur breaks his thumb…….Saints take 5 points from next 21 points and leak goals like a sieve.
Go figure why none of this gets reported in Scottish Media.
Paul won’t be on the blog for the moment so both myself and BRTH will keep you updated with the Craigallachie Telford’s Bridge whisky auction. Latest bid is now £200. Do I hear £300?
My condolences, Paul, Martin and the Brennan family, on your loss. May she rest in peace.
Condolences to Paul and Martin our prayers and thoughts are with you at this difficult time. H.H.
Final call, before the off…
CQN CHELTENHAM Naps Competition
Lads, for anyone who wants to take part in the CQN Cheltenham Naps competition, please post your daily selections at the end of the article :
“Jock, Martin, Gordon and Neil”
N.B. please bookmark the page, as we will be using the same page for the entire week of the Cheltenham festival !
http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/?p=14841&cpage=20#comment-2108517
Good luck… fleagle1888
proudbhoy,
I’m on an unregulated roster, sometimes I come up for a week, sometimes 6 weeks, whatever shutdowns we have, the time off is good, training this week and shutdown next week, time for lights out here.
AR
Best wishes to all the Brennan’s
Victor Wanyama now being nursed back to full fitness with 45 minutes here and there…..
Southampton finding a bit of early season form again……,.hmmmmmm
Possibly the best youth academy set up in whole of UK,and they still spent 12 million on one of our ‘kids’.
The next Michael Essien……Mark my words Bhoys.
antipodean red
13:36 on 11 March, 2014
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Thats good.
Take it easy up there.
ryecatcher
13:40 on 11 March, 2014
Victor Wanyama now being nursed back to full fitness with 45 minutes here and there…..
Southampton finding a bit of early season form again……,.hmmmmmm
Possibly the best youth academy set up in whole of UK,and they still spent 12 million on one of our ‘kids’.
The next Michael Essien……Mark my words Bhoys.
—
Vic is a great player but his passing needs alot of improvement.
Good team to watch southampton.
Llana is quality player and shaw looks like he’s going to be excellant.
Deepest thoughts and condolences to all the Brennan family.
Rest in Peace Rose Theresa Brennan.
Paul, Martin, Kevin, my condolences to you, and to all the family and friends of Rose.
Stick together and remember the good times.
John.
ryecatcher
13:12 on 11 March, 2014
My point was more to do with what those players had achieved at the time they were purchased for obscene amounts of money, which was precisely nothing and a lot less that oor very own Virgil.
You can add Zaha to the recently list of crazy money being exchanged for players considered to have ‘potential’.
With regards to wingers they can justify paying crazy money for potential because they have the natural ingredients ie pace and a good first touch. The rest they can coach and allow the natural progression through 1st team experience to take its course.
You cant do that with centre halves because you need to know they are going to have the and natural strength to make it as a centre half so Virgils age of 22 is probably the earliest realistic stage you can justify a significant outlay.
So he is ripe for the picking right now for the vultures of those in engerland and further beyond yonder..
I wouldnt be surprised if a Man Utd or Man City put a bid in this summer – in fact id expect it.
However – those clubs do not compete to win leagues with players in the £10m region.
They also have a track record of paying £16m + for potential.
Virgil has all of the above and more.
As crazy and absurd as it sounds based on championship competing clubs bidding – my starting price is £16m.
He wouldnt be the first to have signed for a club for a relative modest price only to be transferred for major money a short time later (I think Valencia transferred to Wigan in the Jan after a loan for £3-4m and then was sold to Man Utd for £16m at the end of the next season)
Sincere condolences Paul and Martin.
Sincere condolences to all the Brennan family on their sad loss.
YNWA
Proudbhoy…..
His positional sense defies belief for someone so young.
Couple this with his strength and athleticism..it is a great mix.
His passing started to improve just before he got injured,too.
Was at a Sportsman’s dinner around November time and took the opportunity to chat fitba with Paul Merson for a couple of minutes.
He absolutely raved about big Vic.
Paul67.
May your mother rest in peace.
Big sean.
Bom dia,
With Cheltenham and Champions League it’s a busy betting time this week. So just to add to the confusion here’s a peek at the runners n’ riders in this weeks (well tonight’s anyway) Libertadores Round 3 games:-
Defensor Sporting (Urg) v Cruzeiro (Bra)
Defensor had a good 5-1 away win against Cerro Largo (think Dumbarton) at the weekend for with 19yr old midfield starlet, Giorgian Arrabeceatta, a stand out. However, they have forward selection problems tonight and may opt to go for a more defensive minded set up.
Cruzeiro travel with a full strength squad for this one and should be too much for Defensor on the night. Coincidentally, Cruzeiro fans being charged ten times more for tickets for this match than their home fans. The price of a home ticket – a whacking 2.50 to 5.00GBP
(a reasonable sure) AWAY WIN
Atletico Nacional (Col) v Nacional (Urg)
Does my nut that there are three “Nacionals” in this competition. Anyway, the Columbian Nacional will be hoping to gain three precious points at home here. Still hoping to see good things from prospects Wilder Guisao (apparently out injured for this one) and U20 internationals Juan Pablo Nieto and (ex?) Arsenal target Sebastian Perez. Juan Pablo Angel is back up front for Nacional (the Colombian one).
The Uruguyan, Nacional lost 3-0 away in their weekend match will be without playmaker Alvaro Recoba (who didn’t travel), international defender Andres Scotti, striker Ivan Alonso, goalkeeper Gustavo Munua , Peru’s Rinaldo Cruzado, or youth and new star Gaston Pereiro amongst others. This extensive list, may have more to do with the fact that Nacional are rumoured to be more interested in their National tournament than the Libertadores
(a pretty sure) HOME WIN
Dep Anzoategui (Ven) v Santos Laguna (Mex)
Despite a surprise opening 1-1 draw to (a v.poor) Penarol at home, Dep Anzo showed more of their “true” selves going down 3-0 to Arsenal (away) in their second match. On the other hand, Santos have been impressive in both their matches (a 1-0 home win over Arsenal and a 2-0 away win at Penarol) and I’d expect them to continue that trend here. However, a lot of that depends on whether they play striker Oribe Peralta, or not (still looks like no place for Marc Crossas in the Santos line-up either).
(a reasonably sure) AWAY WIN
The Strongest (Bol) v Velez Sarsfield (Arg)
The Strongest had a good 2-1 against Universitario on Saturday. If reports are to be believed Velez are sending an almost complete reserve side for this match and have already said they’d be happy with a draw in this one. However, that maybe a bit of kidology there.
Argentinian teams have played six times against Strongest in La Paz and never won. With Strongest having keeper, Vaca and veteran striker, Pedro Escobar, ably supported by midfield pivot Chumacero and partner, Alfaro they should be strong (no pun intended)enough to sneak this one.
(more or less sure) HOME WIN
Emelec (Ecu) v Leon (Mex)
Ecuadorian league leaders, Emelec had a 4-1 win at the weekend, but have a few injury doubts and suspensions for this one. Leon are, reportedly at full strength, and played a second string in their 1-0 home defeat to Veracruz in the Liga MX on Saturday.
Emelec are looking for full points in this one to maintain their challenge. This is Leon’s second (of three) away games in the group and have Emelec and Bolivar at home, so a draw would not be a bad result for them.
…….Apparently Leon are known as Los Panza’s Verde – the Green Bellies. Wonder if there’s a team in Mexico called “Las Narices Azul”. I digress……
(a difficult to call) DRAW
Real Garcilaso (Per) v U.Chile (Chi)
Real are playing well in their National championships just now, and manager Freddy Garcia has openly admitted that 9 points at home, plus something snuck away is their target for a quarter final place. U.Chile come to the altitude of Huayanaca after a weekend 1-0 defeat to O Higgins and won’t be fancying this one.
(an altitude assisted) HOME WIN
Paul67
My thoughts and prayers with you and your Dad and the Brennan Family.
May your Gran Rest in Peace!
Doc.
What were you wanting me for.
My sincerest condolences to the Brennan family
RIP Rose
Paul67 & Martin42
Sincerest condolences to you and the whole Brennan family.
Just up, east coast USA, off oot shortly and will pass St. Patrick’s and light candle for the Brennans. May your God be with you.
Sorry to hear of your sad loss paul,
sincerest condolences to your family.