VVD Statement After It's Gone Through the Bullshit Translator
"Over the past six months I have held numerous discussions with
representatives of the board, the former manager Claude Puel as well as the new
manager Mauricio Pellegrino to inform them all of my desire to leave the club
in search of a new challenge and more
money. I have also had numerous discussions with my new agent and Jurgen Klopp
of Liverpool. I know that this is
against the rules and so did Liverpool FC and Jurgen Klopp but we all ignored
that.
"I am incredibly ambitious and want to achieve as much as I
possibly can to fulfil my potential in what is a very short career as a
professional footballer and make as much
money as I can for me and my agent. I want to play European football again
and challenge for major honours and as such I would like Southampton to
consider the interest in me from top clubs should it still exist. I realise that no one has put a bid in for
my services and that I cannot mention Liverpool by name.
"I have been left frustrated by the club's position not to let me
move I am not for sale one year after I
signed a six year contract which made me captain and made me the highest paid
player in Southampton history and am disappointed that enquiries from
multiple top clubs and those that haven’t
won the league since before I was born have been consistently rebuffed.
"The period of time that I have just spent injured and unable to
play has put a number of things into perspective and made me realise just how
important it is to take major opportunities should they arise. So I
put the wheels in motion to get away from Southampton, during the six months
that Southampton were getting me fit to play again.
"I have consistently relayed my feelings to senior management at
Southampton in what I believed to be private and personal conversations.
Disappointingly, these conversations have regularly found their way into the
media. I know this didn’t happen until late July which is well after the club
I wanted to join were leaking everything to the media in spectacular fashion.
"I would also like to make clear that I have never once refused to
train because that is about me, though playing in pre-season matches,
fulfilling media responsibilities and supporting my fellow Southampton FC
players at the End of Season Players Awards Night is another matter. I can
confirm that I was asked about my frame of mind and for all of the reasons
mentioned above I was open and honest because
that’s the kind of guy I am, in saying that I did not feel I was in a
settled mindset given the circumstances.
"Following this conversation the manager explained that he only
wanted players who he felt were 100% committed to Southampton and told me I
would therefore have to train away from the first team.
"As a proud professional (I
will look up this word later) I am insulted by the suggestion that it was
me who refused to train and so feel it is important to point out the true
version of events. The truth, or selected parts of it anyway, is very important to me"
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