Van Dijk: Time and experience have made me better; my playing style has changed significantly

Ahead of Liverpool's first Premier League match of the new season, club captain Van Dijk was interviewed by Men in Blazers presenter Roger Bennett at the club's training ground. He discussed Liverpool's new season, the team's direction, life without Salah and Robertson, and his feelings playing under new manager Arne Slot. The following is the first part of this exclusive interview.

Presenter: It's fantastic to have Virgil Van Dijk back again.

Van Dijk: How are you?

I'm great. Virgil, I wanted to say that the last time I was here, I shook your hand, and over the next few days, everyone who shook my hand smelled incredibly fragrant. That was your cologne.

Well, I just try to be my best self.

The new season is about to begin. This is your tenth season at Liverpool and your first season under new manager Arne Slot. If you had to describe Slot's training in one word, what would it be?

Football. High-intensity football. Yes, it's great. There's a lot of training content, many training sessions, tactical sessions, and small-sided games. Yes, it feels very good.

What is his core philosophy? What are the key themes he emphasizes in bringing this aggressive style of football?

His intention is very clear: to win matches. Not just on weekend matches, but obviously also in daily training, to bring high intensity, maintain fitness, keep running, and also enjoy it.

I want to talk about the coming season. But I need to mention last season. Last season didn't go as you hoped, and you faced some challenges beyond football itself. Now that you've had enough time to process it, what have you learned from it? What did it teach you?

I think the main point is that we had a very difficult season to accept. It didn't meet the standards of a Liverpool player, nor the standards of Liverpool as a club. Obviously, in life, you can't always be perfect, you can't always be at the top. But the key is how you respond, and that's up to us. It depends on our daily efforts now; we're starting from scratch. Everything is open, four competitions await us, which is exciting. So we'll focus all our energy on that, and we have to do much better than last year.

It's hard to believe this is your thirteenth season in the Premier League. Such extensive experience. Are you still learning as much each season now as when you started? Or does it start to feel like a few drops of rain in a vast ocean?

That's a great analogy. But no, I'm definitely learning constantly. Every year is different, and football is constantly evolving. You play alongside different players and against different opponents. You're always learning and adapting. But ultimately, the key is performing consistently at your best level. So far it's been a fantastic journey.

There's an incredible amount of change happening across the league right now, especially here. This is your first season without the legendary player Salah. Mo's impact on the pitch is unique, and his departure off the pitch is equally significant. Since you returned this summer, have you felt Mo's absence? Or does football move too fast and is too unsentmental, forcing you to focus on the present and always look forward?

Nothing lasts forever. Obviously, you mentioned Mo, and he deserves it, because I don't think we can replace a player in the way he contributed to the club. In my opinion, that's something positive. But the same goes for Robertson. Obviously, we used to have some very crucial players who formed the cornerstone of our success, and that's how life goes. You have to move on, adapt, and others need to step up.

You mentioned Andy Robertson, Mo... Konaté has also left. That camaraderie, connection, and leadership in the dressing room. As you approach the new season, do you feel an extra burden of leadership? Or do you see others in the squad stepping up to fill that void?

It's still very early in the season, but the fact is that you have to take it on. You can't shy away from responsibility, nor do you want to. So it's up to the others to step up.

Who do you think will step up?

I don't think it's good to name names. I think you'll see it gradually throughout the season. Let's see it unfold during the season. It's up to the players who clearly know they need to step up.

I want to talk about the defence. Ibrahima Konaté, your partner for most of the last five years, has left, and you're building new understandings. Twenty-one-year-old Jérémy Frimpong, Ronald Araujo. You've talked about how chemistry between centre-backs takes time, training, and developing a good relationship. You mentioned that Jérémy's English is good, but both are building defensive synergy with these two players intuitively. Can you talk about how you're working with these two teammates and the differences you're sensing between them currently?

Coincidentally, I've only been training systematically with them for about five days. But in any job or profession, when you work with new colleagues, it takes time. It takes time to get to know each other, especially on the pitch, to understand each one's strengths and the weaknesses that need to be compensated for. Ultimately, the key is winning matches, and hopefully doing that while keeping clean sheets. Obviously, as the last line of defence alongside the goalkeeper, we play a crucial role in that. But I've been saying for years that it's not just about our defence; it's about how we defend as a team. The better we do it from the front, the easier it will ultimately be for the defence. So yes, let's keep working.

How long does it take to build that chemistry?

Hopefully next week. But it doesn't work that way; it requires continuity. The two players I mentioned just need to stay fit, stay healthy, keep improving, and keep learning what it takes to play a match every three or four days, especially from late September onwards. You have to embrace it, enjoy it—that's my advice for them. Enjoy the pressure, because we all face pressure, and that's something good. And they showed very positive signs in the last 45 minutes, which is great. But now we have to do it consistently over the next 10 to 15 matches and then move forward.

I want to talk about you. You're 35 years old, and you're still young, still sitting here joking with me. But you entered the Premier League at 24. LeBron James has spoken about a growth mindset, and as he's aged, each season he studies how to evolve his strengths and improve his weaknesses as his body changes, relying more on his emotional intelligence and experience than on the explosiveness of his early career. Do you feel you've changed your playing style as you've gotten older in this league?

Yes, I'd say that as a centre-back, in my opinion and personal feeling, you improve with time and experience. In our position, once you make an error, you face the penalty of conceding a goal or the opponent having a great chance. So you simply try to learn from those moments, and also from the good moments of winning trophies, how to handle things, how to deal with the team, how to deal with defeats—unfortunately, whether that's losing a final or going through injuries, and so on. So you have to absorb all of that. I think my playing style has changed significantly over the years. It's something I really enjoy.

Traducido por IA.

¡El sitio web de AF ya está disponible! Consulta noticias, comentarios, detalles de partidos y estadísticas en tu ordenador. Visita: www.allfootballapp.com