Ex Liverpool player and technically a Liverpool FC employee John Aldridge is encouraging Liverpool fans to "Help" Virgil Van Dijk move to Anfield.

John Aldridge could be described as an employee of Lverpool FC given that he is a regular on the club's official TV Station, so the fact tha he is encouraging Liverpool supporters to "help" Virgil Van Dijk want to move to Merseyside could be said to be blatant unsettling of the player.

As mentioned back in the summer, people like Aldridge do not do or say anything that would upset the Anfield hierarchy, they make a living from the club and do not want to jeapardise that, so when Aldridge speaks he is doing so knowing that the club will not be upset by his comments.

Writing in his column in the Liverpool Echo Aldridge said.

“It's going to be a difficult afternoon for Virgil van Dijk,”

“He's professional and he has to do his job for his current team, but it's a strange situation.

“We're desperate for him, he's desperate for us, everyone knows it.

“I remember playing for Oxford at Anfield and the Kop sung my name. It meant the absolute world to me. We got beat 6-0, mind you! I think my fellow columnist Jan Molby might have scored two, and all. "

“I don't think we'll get that on Saturday with Van Dijk but I hope he gets a good reception."

“It can help a player when they know they're wanted somewhere. We all want to see him at Anfield on a full-time basis, because he fits the criteria of what we need.”

The message from Aldridge to Liverpool fans is clear,, by chanting Van Dijk's name and making him seem welcome at Anfield, not only will it get into the Dutchman's head about the failed move in the summer, but it will take his mind off his job for Saints on Saturday and hopefully make him lose concentration.

Whilst I have no problem with this sort of gamemanship ahead of games regarding trying to put a player off his game, the actual words from Aldridge are far more sinister given the events of the summer.

It seems that if John Aldridge, a man as close to Liverpool FC as anyone is saying such things then the Anfield club are not exactly discouraging him to do so.

That being the case it looks like we can expect more of the shameful behaviour of the summer in the coming months.

Photo: Action Images

SanMarco added 11:01 - Nov 14 "the actual words from Aldridge are far more sinister". For goodness sake: 'sinister'. Am I the only one that doesn't give a monkey's what the likes of Aldridge gob away about? I am sure there will be lots of 'banter' on Saturday but the scousers don't need the likes of Aldridge to script it for them. There are plenty of sinister things going on in the world at the moment and bollo**s from a scouse gobsh**e comes very low down on my list...

6

IWOZTHERE added 11:13 - Nov 14 VVD is not the first player in this situation and must just act professionally. Aldridge is effectively flouting the rules again quite brazenly. This nonsense together with Hoedt languishing on the bench and our current shaky league form would not be happening if we'd got shot of VVD in the Summer and strengthened up front. I was all for putting two fingers up to the scousers, but I think the stance discouraged the others sniffing around as well. Once we'd got Hoedt, VVD should have been history.

3

steve73 added 11:20 - Nov 14 I wouldn't have him anywhere near the squad for this one. Play Yoshida and Hoedt with Stephens on bench. Forget him and his circus it's caused too much trouble anyway. There's an important game of football to win.
9

highfield49 added 11:34 - Nov 14 Hopefully VVD will see this as an opportunity to play to his potential and impress the scousers, so I'll be quite happy if it bites them in the backside and he scores a last minute winner. Oh, what an an amazing chance for their supporters to celebrate his genius!
4

bstokesaint added 13:02 - Nov 14 It's really quite simple. Liverpool put in a £50m+ bid to show how much they want the player and we release him. No amount of name chanting from The Kop changes any of that. Put more simply, put up or shut up.
1

BoondockSaint added 13:59 - Nov 14 Hi highfield-unfortunately, as in the recent games he has played for us, he would play, but not really exert himself to his full potential (from his point of view he will not risk injury while he is looking for a transfer). I would have to agree with steve73 and not play him. It boosts the confidence of the players that want to play for the club and will force the Scouse to whinge about something else (they have a long list).

2

ericofarabia added 14:28 - Nov 14 I'm definitely in the "Do Not Play Him at Anfield" Camp. There is no way he would be 100% focused, and if he dropped a bollock, even accidently, and they scored from it questions would have to be asked, and trust from his fellow players lost. The doss twonk would probably run over to Klopp and join in the celebrations!!
2

Blogs 31 bloggers

Southampton Polls