René van der Gijp has looked on in amazement at the way Dutch journalists sometimes treat Virgil van Dijk. According to the Dordrecht-born analyst, it is a world of difference from the way the Netherlands captain is approached at Liverpool.
Last week, Van Dijk became involved in an exchange with Valentijn Driessen during a press moment, after Driessen accused the Netherlands international of being 'gruff'. Van Dijk replied by saying that he 'cannot just keep listening to all that whining all the time'.
"Just imagine. You play in the Premier League and almost everyone with status, whether it is Wayne Rooney or Gary Lineker, regards you as one of the best centre-backs ever. And in the Netherlands they dismiss you as the stopper for IJsselmeervogels. That's not nice," Van der Gijp says on Monday in the KieftJansenEgmondGijp podcast.
Michel van Egmond, the presenter, also sees a big difference between the approach in the Netherlands and in England. "Over there in England, they are all men in suits and ties, from very big renowned newspapers. In proper English, they will also cut you down to the ankles if necessary, but still with a certain regard."
"And then you come to the Netherlands. Lads in jeans, slumped back. And in mother-MAVO English they fire all kinds of rockets at you," sighs Van Egmond as he analyses the Dutch sports journalists.
Rob Jansen then offers Van Dijk some sincere advice. "Do you know what you should do, Virgil? Laugh a lot. Treat this entirely with humour. But you have to be able to do that. You can see on his face that he is very angry. He is so experienced and has been through everything. Take on Valentijn (Driessen, ed.). Tear him apart, put him in his place, go after other journalists. Then the Netherlands will laugh."
Van der Gijp, though, feels that is easier said than done. "Hang on, Rob. It isn't only Valentijn, is it? It is also Marco van Basten, it is Ruud Gullit, who simply write Van Dijk off as 'not a leader'. And they have done so for years. In England he is almost elevated above everyone."