I was part of the media group that interviewed Virgil van Dijk – here’s my take on the ‘out of context’ quote

Virgil van Dijk was the first to question Liverpool’s captain on Wednesday night as he strolled through the mixed zone area of ​​Anfield.

With a beaming smile that can only come from a performance like the one that decisively defeated Chelsea 4-1, a laughing and cheerful Van Dijk made his point.

“Oh, media people! You don’t want to talk tonight, do you?” he said as he walked away. Van Dijk is in a good mood as he passes by, his teasing is not barbed or aggressive, and he seems generally dissatisfied with those he speaks to, including us at Echo. It must be emphasized that it was not shown at all. He said that after almost every Reds game.

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But clearly Van Dijk has defended his comments after the 5-1 win over Norwich in the FA Cup, when he admitted he was unsure whether he would be part of Liverpool’s post-Jurgen squad. It seems like he feels he has no choice but to do so. Crop era.

Asked if he sees himself at Anfield beyond his current spell, Van Dijk said: “That’s a big question. I don’t know. Another 18 months? That’s right. It’s a good calculation. I don’t know.”

“It’s no secret that the club has a big job on their hands. A lot of things will change, not just the manager but the whole staff. I’m very interested to see where it goes. “But when?” That will be announced and we will make a decision based on our situation. I can’t say much about that.

“The Jurgen Klopp era will come to an end, but I’m still part of that era. So I don’t like to talk about it. That’s my main focus. We’ll see at the end of the season. But hopefully we can have the success that we all dream of, and maybe by then it will be clearer what the club wants for the future and we’ll see from then.”

Since my post-match chat with myself and a few other colleagues last week, so much has been said, written and speculated about by podcasters, TV broadcasters and even former Premier League managers and players. It has been. Of course, there was a lot of talk about it on social media. Some parts served as a basis for discussion, while others did not.

But as someone who was there, here’s how I see the current situation regarding Liverpool’s captaincy.

First of all, Van Dijk’s reaction was one of respect. The Liverpool captain is always careful not to come across as someone who has an arrogant attitude, but he never hesitates to give his true opinion when asked.

As written in this newsletter before Christmas after his exchange with Roy Keane made headlines: “For the record, there is no arrogance in Virgil van Dijk. As someone I had the pleasure of speaking to,” Having watched almost every Liverpool game over the last four years or so, there are few footballers more down-to-earth than the Dutch captain.

“Number 4 always made sure to take time for members of the press who he was aware of and knew were not going to catch him, trip him up or interpret his answers in a negative way. I’m delighted. I’ve seen Van Dijk turn down requests.”Although he will be staying away from certain sections of the media at Anfield for his own personal reasons, the Reds captain will always be on the ECHO He also made time for his close friends on the national team. ”

“Fake humility” was what was said to me last week, although there is probably an element of Van Dijk trying to downplay his importance to the cause as captain of the team currently top of the Premier League. That should also be emphasized. With so much uncertainty surrounding the club, the Reds captain cannot say anything further about his future.

With no contract offers emerging, how else is Van Dijk expected to answer questions about his future beyond his current contract, which expires in 2025? For those of us who talk to Liverpool players and gather news, those words obviously made headlines, but the aftermath was something entirely different.

On Tuesday, Van Dijk told the Men in Blazers podcast that the words had been “completely taken out of context” and that he would remain committed to the cause at Liverpool. Few within the club doubted his beliefs for the rest of this season or next, but as someone who was there at the time, this interview can’t be taken out of context, at least for those of us who spoke to him. There wasn’t.

The reason Van Dijk is always happy to chat regularly is that the people asking the questions aren’t going to throw away their answers and sell him down the river for a cheap headline or two. This is because I know that. The player himself is aware of this, and the smiles and jokes he prepared for those attending Jurgen Klopp’s press conference before the game against Chelsea at the AXA Center on Tuesday showed that those of us who reported the comments in good faith showed that It was suggested that he did not hold any grudge against him.

“Let’s talk on Wednesday…” one of them said as they parted ways, but the conversation ended before Van Dijk could reply. “And next season too!”

You have a point. The storm may continue to swirl in the teacup, but Liverpool fans need not worry.

This article is excerpted from Paul Gorst’s weekly ECHO newsletter.Sign up here to receive updates from his LFC correspondents every Friday