Virgil van Dijk

Ranking have always been dodgy remember American was 4th in it back in 2006 says it all really

 

Hearing Arsenal are to scout him during the autumn.

 

yes 'it just so happens' look at the rest of the seedings by your estimations brazil should be 4th then yeah? ... and spain should be outside the top 16

 

I Didnt say anything about them im just saying the dutch deserve there position just because the are not littered with big names does not mean tgey dont deserve there rankings you are ranked on your performances not on quality club players

 

not even close to what you said your theory was that because they came third in the world cup they are the third best country i know you didn't mention spain or brazil but going by your theory brazil should be 4th and spain outside the top 16 :bbpd:

 

Rangers legend Arthur Numan urges Virgil Van Dijk to leave Celtic at first opportunity to help his international career

Numan reckons his fellow Dutchman risks going backwards this season without Champions League football to challenge him.

A former international star with 45 caps for the Oranje, Numan is well qualified to judge what it takes to become an established figure in one of the world’s best sides and while he reckons van Dijk has a chance to build on his call-up to Holland’s latest squad for the double header against Italy and the Czech Republic, Numan fears his development could be stunted if he lingers too long in an uncompetitive Scottish league.

The 23-year-old was frustrated when Celtic refused to consider bids from down south before the transfer window closed last week. He was even dropped from a league game against Dundee United and told to stay away from the club’s Lennoxtown training ground to get his head straight while the hours ticked down towards the deadline.

But Numan reckons van Dijk must spend the next five months focusing on performing well in order to lure big English clubs into testing Celtic’s resolve again with bids in the next transfer window.

He said: “If he gets the chance Virgil should go to England in January or at the end of the season. Over the last two seasons he has proved he is too good for Scottish football. If you are linked with some clubs in England it’s natural you are going to want to move away because you have Celtic in the top league here and who else? When a player comes to Scotland you spend a year or two trying to impress."

“When you’re there four years and play Ross County seven times a season it can be hard to motivate yourself. You can stay too long. Maybe Virgil will think now he needs another step in his career. Going to England to play in one of the best clubs in Europe may be better for himself and for the national team. If the Dutch coach comes over to see him play against Ross County he will wonder how Virgil would do against top international players. It’s hard to judge him when he is playing against strikers from a smaller team."

“I think that was the reason he was never in Louis van Gaal’s squad for the World Cup. He plays in Scotland while the other Dutch players are in big competitions and that is probably why he was never chosen. So in many ways he still has to prove himself. I always felt he was using Scotland as a stepping stone. But he is good enough to play in England right now. However, Virgil has to stay focused with Celtic to make sure clubs in England show interest."

“Then it comes down to how Celtic are doing in the Europa League and will they need money in January?”

The failure to qualify for the Champions League group stages is, in Numan’s opinion, the deal breaker that makes it crucial for van Dijk to escape in January if he can.

Numan said: “You can prove yourself against the best players in Europe in the Champions League and that would have been a great stage on which to show himself to new Dutch coach Guus Hiddink.

“He has improved as a player and the time is right for him to move to England. I don’t know the reason Celtic did not let him go but they will have to sell him in time, they missed out on a lot of money through failing to make it to the Champions League. That is a shame. I don’t think the Europa League will attract a lot of supporters.”

It wasn’t always like this. Numan was among a generation of Dutch players of real pedigree who flocked to Scotland. Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Ronald and Frank de Boer, Michael Mols and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink – they were all attracted to the SPL, as it was then, and the big atmosphere of Old Firm rivalry. With that gone, Numan fears there is nothing left in Scotland to attract foreign players if the Champions League dream falls at the first hurdle.

He added: “Dutch players don’t view Scotland as a place to progress any more.

“Ten years ago it was different. You didn’t just have the Old Firm, there was Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen, Motherwell and the Dundee clubs. Everybody spoke positively about the Scottish league and they showed all the games on TV back in Holland. Now you don’t see the games. When I joined Rangers I also had the chance to go to Atletico Madrid. My decision wasn’t just down to the contract – I could’ve earned more money in Spain.

“The moment I arrived at Ibrox I felt it was the club for me. It was warm, a family, and I was treated well. * Advocaat was here and he was trying to sign players to compete at the top level in Europe. But when I chose Rangers people still said, ‘Are you f****** kidding me?’ Yet Scotland was a good strong league, the Old Firm was phenomenal.

“We got pelters at Celtic Park but it was just for 90 minutes and I enjoyed it. When I come back and walk around Glasgow, Celtic fans say how much they miss the Old Firm games. I miss them too. When Rangers were put down to the third division people said, ‘That’s what they deserve’. But I said it was the end of Scottish football. They used to sing, ‘Bring on the Hearts, the Hibs, the Rangers’. Now they have to change the words to fit in Inverness Caley Thistle and Ross County!”

 

shut the * up and get back in your hole Numan

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see Numan get a gig as a pundit for Scottish football on the back of that.

Just the right amount of negative to fit in here.

 

Eat * numan

 

A season without Champions League football would make him go backwards?

He's only had 1 season of CL football in his career!

Later stages of the EL would improve him without doubt, any European football will.

 

It's funny 'cos it's true.

 

Who?

 

A hun wanting a good Celtic player to leave Scotland

Shocking!

 

Jesus some hun spin in that, every week we have players linked with moves away or ex footballers doing the same ..

Some things never change, hated, baited but rated..

 

martins indii is worse than ambrose ffs

 

Ross county 7 times a season??

 

We all know that Arthur numan watches the spfl religiously and that Keith Jackson and co wouldn't need to help him with how many times a season we play each team..

 

I stopped after 'rangers'. :smiley-laughing002:

 

I never read it.