Jurgen Klopp’s announcement that he will leave at the end of the season has thrown up a lot of uncertainty around the club. As much as Klopp will not want this to disrupt or impact the current season, players will be looking over their shoulders glancing at the future ahead.
No players’ future is immune to the uncertainty. A new manager will have new ideas, and no one yet knows what those ideas will be. And more importantly, who will be in his plans to execute those ideas from the current squad.
That means that even some of the most experienced players at Liverpool will be questioning their futures. Or having doubts at least about what the future holds for them. It is only natural. When most of them have only played under Klopp, and have only known him as the club’s manager – you cannot blame them for having trepidations amid so much uncertainty.
Ally McCoist on Virgil van Dijk
Speaking on talkSPORT, Ally McCoist was asked about that very topic, with a focus on Virgil van Dijk, who has recently made some comments about his future at Liverpool as per the Liverpool ECHO. McCoist echoed our sentiments, explaining that it is only natural for even someone like Van Dijk to have doubts.
“He’s only telling the truth, let’s be honest, of course he should be saying things like that,” McCoist said.
“Anybody could see that and it’s a big question because you’re losing the head of the club, the talisman of the club who has been without doubt the most influential and incredible character that the club’s had in the last decade or so. So, I think it’s blatantly obvious that there will be other changes within the club.
“For example, the first thing you do when a new manager comes in, you might not necessarily like all the players that the previous manager has been picking, so that’s a natural thing for him to make changes and bring in one of two players that he would like to do.
“So I said earlier, Virgil van Dijk, absolutely wonderful player, wonderful defender is now 32. It would make sense that he’s certainly coming to the end of his time at Liverpool. It might not be next year, it might not be the year after, but time would tell you that no man goes on forever. I just think that he’s effectively stating the obvious.”
Jumping into the discussion, host Jeff Stelling then presented McCoist with the following question.
“And at 32, whether Klopp’s there or not, he might be considering one more big move before the end of his career?”
McCoist’s answer was emphatic.
“Correct.”
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