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Alisson confirmed as Liverpool vice-captain, but he will never wear the armband
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- Alisson confirmed as Liverpool vice-captain, but he will never wear the armband
Andoni Iraola has appointed Alisson as Liverpool FC's new vice-captain – but immediately said why the goalkeeper is unlikely to wear the armband, even if Virgil van Dijk is missing.
The Liverpool manager believes that new rules mean it is very difficult for a goalkeeper to skipper a side because they risk being taken 100 yards out of position when summoned to talk to a referee.
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And that could lead to Dominik Szoboszlai in effect acting as Van Dijk's deputy following the departure of vice-captain Andy Robertson, who joined Tottenham.
Premier League rules only allow the captains to speak to the referees (Getty)
Alisson, who was third in line for the armband last season, has moved up in the pecking order, while Liverpool's longest-serving player Joe Gomez is also in the leadership group, but is currently injured and may not start often.
In contrast Szoboszlai, who captains Hungary, looks likely to play regularly under Iraola, who took Alisson aside to explain why he may not actually lead the team out.
"The captains will be Virgil, will be Alisson, will be Joe Gomez, and Dom Szoboszlai," the Spaniard said.
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"But I explained to Alisson especially that it's not going to be possible that he wears the armband because with the new rule I think there is a big limitation if a keeper wears the armband.
"Because if something happens in the opposition box the referee has to explain to the captains what's happening, all the decisions.
"I had one season with [goalkeeper] Neto [as captain] in Bournemouth and then you have to start every game to say a different player that can act as a captain, and this is not viable.
"But I wanted him to feel like we value him. I've had enough time and we will have more time to know each other, but I had to explain also the decision about the armband to Ali because he is a keeper and, unfortunately, they are putting the rules in a way that there is a lot of disadvantages to having a keeper as a captain."
(Getty)
Van Dijk captained Liverpool in all 38 Premier League matches last season, when he did not miss a minute of top-flight action.
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Iraola added that he was not concerned about a lack of leaders in the Liverpool dressing room after influential figures Robertson and Salah left the club over the summer.
"We lost a lot in terms of experience, high-level players who have performed so well for so many years here," Iraola said. "But I think it is also a natural thing in clubs.
"I think we have a lot of young players wiling to take those minutes and ready to take those leadership roles. Overall, I am very happy with the attitude of the players in the pre-season."
Iraola, who will take charge of Liverpool for the first time when the Reds travel to Newcastle on Sunday, said that he hopes that Tottenham target Cody Gakpo is still part of his squad.
