Virgil van Dijk has shared his thoughts on Liverpool vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Scouser took over the role in the summer.
Liverpool have gone through a lot of changes this summer. The biggest was undoubtedly the complete overhaul of the captaincy with the departures of Jordan Henderson and James Milner.
The pair took over the roles of captain and vice-captain respectively after Jurgen Klopp took over. Brendan Rodgers appointed them in 2015 and he was right to do so.
But now Liverpool will have to find two new players to fill that role in 2023. The staff chose Virgil van Dijk as captain and Trent Alexander-Arnold as vice-captain and were generally pleased. Van Dijk was exemplary as captain and exceeded expectations in his role as well.
But what about Alexander-Arnold?
The Dutchman has now offered his own review of Alexander-Arnold and expects the Scouser to deliver.”Hopefully it will help him [become vice-captain],” he told the Liverpool Echo.
“Whether he likes it or not, I think he has to take that responsibility.
“He turns into that person. He’s not the coolest guy around, but he’s learning and getting the job done. The way he takes responsibility and handles himself off the field is particularly admirable.
“It’s a new role but he’s enjoying it. Especially as a local boy who knows everything about the club. It’s also good for the youngsters coming up the ranks.
“There is a feeling that, like Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson, Alexander-Arnold will take over as vice-captain until Van Dijk becomes full-time captain.
That doesn’t mean you have to do it soon. So this is a learning experience that will allow him to grow as a person and as a player before taking on his ‘best job’. Van Dijk seems to think he has, but only time will tell.
