Liverpool’s new head coach Andoni Iraola has today named three vice captains alongside captain Virgil Van Dijk: Alisson, Joe Gomez, and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Per Iraola, Alisson’s naming is more symbolic, as the general limitations around captain-specific communication with the referee has been intensified with rule changes this season. Iraola expanded on the decision in his pre-Newcastle press conference:
“…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 basically, 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 Neto 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.”
Virgil Van Dijk is to remain the Liverpool captain per the new boss, with the three additional names sharing the duties.
