The Big Derk Boerrigter Thread

VIRGIL VAN DIJK excelled at Celtic and went to cement himself as one of the top defenders in the English Premier League and world football.

For another former Dutch Hoops star, things didn't go the same way and he knows exactly who he blames for it.

Van Dijk joined Celtic for just £2.6million in 2013 and went on to win back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles.

The EPL came calling in 2015 and van Dijk headed-off to Southampton for £13m, with Liverpool then shelling-out a world record fee for a defender of £75m two-and-a-half years later to take him to Anfield.

Van Dijk wasn't the only Dutch signing at Parkhead in the summer of 2013.

Derk Boerrigter arrived from Ajax with a big reputation, with his £3m signing seen as a coup for then-Celtic boss Neil Lennon.

After injuries hampered the start of his Parkhead career, Boerrigter went on to make 23 appearances in his debut campaign, adding the Premiership title to two Eredivisie championships won the previous two seasons.

But his time with Celtic would be ravaged by injuries and a change of manager didn't help things.

Lennon departed after four years in charge, being replaced by Ronny Deila in the summer of 2014.

And it's fair to say Boerrigter doesn't hold the Norwegian in high regard.

In an astonishing blast, the now retired former winger has labelled Deila WORTHLESS.

Boerrigter also pointed the finger at initially Celtic for demanding too high a transfer fee after telling him he could leave - before admitting the clubs that eventually came in for him couldn't match his Parkhead wage packet.

Boerrigter told Soccer News: "The first year I struggled with injuries and the second year a trainer came who was not getting along. That was a really worthless guy (Deila). He wanted me to play football in a way that did not suit me.

"After that he didn't use me for the whole year. I was allowed to look for a new club, but Celtic asked too much money for me.

"I was then allowed to leave on a free transfer, but the clubs that came then did not appeal to me or the salary difference was too big. I decided to stay, and that's when the trouble started.

"They started harassing me in the hope that I would terminate my contract. That's part of football, unfortunately. I have always shown my best side, but it was a difficult period.

"I would have preferred to leave, but the right options did not appear. I ended up breaking my own windows. After three years there was no club that wanted me anymore. Then it was nice and I started doing something else."

Boerrigter made just three appearances in his second campaign as a Celtic player and didn't play at all during the 2015/16 season.

The Hoops and Boerrigter eventually came to an agreement to terminate his contract in April 2016 with the winger proving a major flop in Scottish football.

Two years later, he announced his retirement from football aged just 31, claiming the clubs who showed an interest in signing him post-Celtic weren't "worth bothering about."

Seven years on from his injury-plagued Parkhead spell, Boerrigter revealed how he had mapped out a path to the English Premier League just as Virgil van Dijk managed.

And according to Boerrigter, it's down to injuries and Ronny Deila as to why it never happened.

He added: "These are harsh statements, but I do have that feeling. Instead of making me fit, they made me even more injured.

"I was recruited with high expectations, but I was never top fit for one minute. I had a good period at Ajax and made it to the Dutch national team.

"Then I had mapped out a route like Virgil van Dijk. Play well at Celtic and then go to the Premier League. But because of those injuries and that trainer, nothing came of it."

Brendan Rodgers' current Celtic side face Dutch opposition in the form of Feyenoord this week.

It's the final Champions League group stage match with both sides already eliminated from contention, although Feyenoord will be moving into the Europa League.

And Boerrigter expects the Hoops to be on the receiving end of a defeat.

He said: "I don't think Celtic are doing the best. Feyenoord should be able to make mincemeat of them, but the disadvantage is that Celtic has a great 12th man at home. The crowd goes crazy, especially at Champions League matches. That will really be a seething arena.

"The sixty thousand supporters all stand behind their club and make noise from minute one to ninety. It would be nice for Feyenoord to silence them, but that is not going to be easy. Celtic do not have the better selection, but they do have the advantage of the home crowd. Yes, the Scots have enough sense of honour to give everything. They will. So Feyenoord can celebrate."

 

The state of this delusional mess

 

A * like a Boa Constrictor