Life after Andy Robertson - Who will be Liverpool's next vice-captain?
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But who is the right man to deputise for Virgil van Dijk when called upon next season?The ECHO writers have considered the viable options and have had their say...Paul GorstWhen Liverpool last needed to appoint a vice-captain, the idea was that Andy Robertson was a better fit than Mohamed Salah because it would be a rarity that the Egyptian would be playing when Virgil van Dijk wasn't.So with Milos Kerkez's arrival meaning Robertson would be playing more sporadically - in cup competitions - it was decided that the Scotland skipper could be Van Dijk's deputy.It made sense. The options are few and far between.Alisson Becker is a player whose quiet word carries weight inside the dressing room and Dominik Soboszlai, the captain of Hungary, would jump at the chance of a promotion inside the playing squad.But for longevity, his quality and the fact that he will almost certainly start every cup game when fit, Joe Gomez is a left-field shout.Gomez is not a ranter or a raver inside the dressing room and he has always been someone who is happy to pass the spotlight onto his colleagues, but now into his 11th year at the club, a step up in seniority would be recognition for his service.Few choices would be as popular inside the squad itself.Ian DoyleIt's fair to say naming a vice-captain will be a long way down the list of priorities for new Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola.
Neither have nailed-on futures for the forthcoming season, but as it stands the former, as Liverpool's longest-serving current player, should be given the nod.Gomez has already held the position for six games, which is second in the present squad to Van Dijk's whopping 192 games as captain - the ninth-most in Liverpool history.FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE! All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook pageMark JonesWhat does a vice-captain actually need to do?
Beyond the obvious of donning the armband when the skipper isn't in the team, the role surely involves a lot of work behind the scenes and helping to establish or maintain a winning culture at the club.It is a role that James Milner pulled off with aplomb during his time at Anfield, but without a modern equivalent to the now-retired stalwart, options do seem a little thin on the ground when it comes to picking Virgil van Dijk's new deputy.Best not to overthink it then.Dominik Szoboszlai was Liverpool's standout player in the troubled past season, with Van Dijk a close second, and it is to be hoped that the Hungary captain, still just 25, learned a thing or two about leadership and his own game over the campaign.He still has several flaws to iron out, but mitigation comes in the form of the struggles of those around him in the past year.If giving him this role will help him mature as a player then it is worth a go. He is already someone that the newer members of the squad appear to look up to, and so he would be a natural fit.Richard GarnettIn terms of experience and leadership, Liverpool lost a large chunk of it with the departures of Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konate, not to mention Trent Alexander-Arnold 12 months earlier, who was part of the club's senior group.Replacing this is going to be difficult, so when it comes to picking a vice-captain, I think it's important to pick an individual who commands total respect from his teammates.