Virgil van Dijk provides insight on how he’s adapting to a different way of life as he spoke about the importance coming together during the coronavirus outbreak

Virgil van Dijk provided insight on his own adaptation to a different way of life as he reiterated the importance of everybody coming together to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

We caught up with the Liverpool centre-back via video link this week and he detailed how the players are maintaining their training programmes from home during the current situation, while retaining their togetherness from afar through group chats and joint sessions.

Van Dijk also discussed the vital role supporters can play by following government guidelines around the world.

Let’s start with the most obvious question: how have the last few weeks been for you as a professional footballer that was preparing for something hopefully very different to the situation we’re in right now?

Obviously it has been very surreal, a bit crazy. You have never experienced things like this before, you see these kinds of things in TV shows or films, things that you never really come up against. The reality is it’s just a crazy time right now. The most important thing is everyone’s safety, that’s the main thing and the most important thing right now.

How are your family? Is everybody fit and healthy?

Yeah, as long as we’re together, that’s the most important thing. Staying home, staying together and being healthy – that’s the main thing and everyone is coping.

Jordan Henderson gave some perspective when we spoke to him the other day; we sometimes forget how much you miss out on with the pressure of playing and training and preparing. You don’t get time at home to spend with the kids. So is this precious time to be an ordinary dad?

One hundred per cent. We are away quite a lot, whether it’s travelling or staying in hotels before games. We’re not at home a lot and if we’re home it’s normally the time when the kids are in bed and stuff. So to be home right now 24/7 with the kids, all together, is precious time. We definitely enjoy it. I enjoy it a lot, the kids are enjoying it, everyone is enjoying it. It all benefits in that case. Just enjoy it, don’t take anything for granted.

Footballers are creatures of habit, you spend so much of your time eating, preparing, training and recovering. When that habit changes, do you have to change the way you live your life, physically and mentally?

Yeah, obviously it’s totally different. Your body is feeling different and your mindset of course as well. This period, together with the Christmas period, is the busiest and toughest period – mentally as well – of the season. Now you have no idea what might happen, you stay at home and relax basically and do other things, play other games instead of football. It’s a totally different mindset, first and foremost. You’re not in the mood to really play football. Obviously you miss it and want it but there is no other way, you just have to stay put and wait for the right moment to go out there again.

You have to stay ready, though, don’t you? How does training look and feel for you at the moment? You’re all doing your own individual programmes…

We try to get into that kind of rhythm. The fitness department tried to set up some sessions that we can all do together through video call and I think that’s a good idea, to stick together again and see each other – see all of each other again. Apart from that you just do your running and try to do at least something every day. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday we do a harder session to give your body what it needs because it can go quickly if you don’t do anything for quite a while. You have to be smart and you have to do the right things to keep your body on a certain level that you can kick on when it starts again.

The lads have been using Zoom and doing sessions together, it’s incredible to see the smiles come back when you can all see each other. The togetherness you have is important…