Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp has opted to take a different approach to his squad by following the lead of Unai Emery when he was at Arsenal.
Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp knew that the departure of Jordan Henderson would leave him with a void to fill as the captain made his way to Saudi Arabia to join Al Ettifaq. But the physical absence of Henderson might not be as important as the mental side on the squad, with Klopp needing to appoint a new leader to guide the squad on and off the pitch. Instead, he has taken a leaf out of Unai Emery’s management book in picking a new captain.
Henderson had been Liverpool’s long-time captain for the best part of eight years after being handed the honour by Brendan Rodgers. Klopp saw no need to change when he took over in 2015 and his faith paid dividends, with the pair winning nearly every trophy available to them including the Premier League and Champions League.
Still, his departure had left a vacuum for the Reds to fill with a successor to be appointed.
Virgil van Dijk always looked like the favourite due to the Dutchman’s quality, popularity and close relationship with Klopp, and it was no surprise to see him announced as their new skipper. Trent Alexander-Arnold will assume the role of vice-captain given his vast experience and impressive fitness levels, which means he will play almost every game and therefore support Van Dijk when on the pitch.
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