Captain’s Interview: Van Dijk on the Impact of Departing Legends Robertson and Salah

Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com ahead of the pair’s final match, club captain Virgil Van Dijk was asked to sum up what Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah have done for the Reds:

I think it’s pretty difficult to sum it up. Obviously in a good way, of course. They’ve meant so much to the club, they’ve meant so much to me personally, they have meant so much to all the successes that we have achieved over all those years. And obviously as the human beings they are, I think it’s tough to replace that, it’s tough to move

on from that, but that’s life as well. They have been absolutely amazing to be working with, to be playing with, to be having around and I’m 100 per cent going to miss them.

Robertson played alongside Van Dijk in defense, and thus the Dutchman started there to characterize the left back’s abilities:

I think in the case of Robbo, first and foremost obviously his talent, his quality on the pitch, his assists, his work-rate, it’s the complete package, I think, of a modern-day left-back. Off the pitch, I think the way he is as a person, always up for a joke, always setting the standards in training and in games and is just a great character to be around. For me personally, it’s been a joy to have him on my left-hand side, and since I joined the club he was basically my left-back almost constantly and we know each other’s strengths pretty well and could make use of that quite a lot. It’s been an absolute privilege and pleasure to play with him on my left side. He is one of, if not the best left-back of the last decade for sure in the Premier League and definitely in contention as one of the best left-backs of Liverpool. It’s all down to him, his hard work, his quality, his drive and something that he showed on a consistent basis. It is an incredible journey that he had and it’s great to have been part of his success.

Van Dijk’s characterization made the interviewer think of José Mourinho’s famous line that watching Robertson play made him feel “tired.” But just how big a legacy does Van Dijk think Robertson will have on the position?

He was a massive part of that in terms of our full-backs being so high up almost 75 per cent of the game, doing the runs, up and down, and the assists that they had and the combination between Sadio [Mané] and Robbo, but also on the other side with Trent [Alexander-Arnold] and Mo. It was incredible to see and obviously for us as centre-backs and the number six, it was quite interesting in defending a lot of space, but it worked. It worked because of the quality that Robbo has. He’s been definitely, I think, for younger players looking up to the pinnacle in football, an example to look at how to do it as a left-back. I think that’s a great thing – to inspire the next generation – and I think he definitely did that as a left-back.

Robertson’s importance was, of course, not solely on the pitch for a player that ends his career as Liverpool’s vice captain:

I think leading always starts by example and over all those years that we’ve been working together, I feel like he’s definitely led by example. This year he’s been my vice-captain. It’s a player with so much experience, it’s someone that obviously always will feel and take the responsibility when needed. For me, I can say anything that I want to say to him and the other way around as well, so it was always going to work. And even in a tough season that we had this year, it was always going to be tricky, but we tried to do it in the best way that we can. He is a leader in the way he acts and in the way he wants to put the team in front and that’s the bare minimum. I think he did that pretty well.

Turning over to Mohamed Salah, Van Dijk was asked put into words just what is so impressive about the Egyptian winger, who put up serious attacking numbers:

I think it’s absolutely incredible, like you said, the numbers Mo has achieved on a consistent basis. Obviously we all see the hard work he puts in to make himself available each and every game, but also to keep himself at the highest standard that he holds himself to – but also the rest of the world holds him to as well. It’s been a joy to watch, a joy to watch him being so important for us. The years he played together with Bobby [Firmino] and Sadio, if you play behind that it’s also moments in games where you just look at it and you enjoy it. Mo has been such a big part of that as well.

Van Dijk was prompted, too, to discuss what this output means over such a career at Liverpool:

It says a lot about him personally. He wanted so much, like we all wanted so much, by the way, but he will make sure he does everything in his power to be ready on matchday, to be in the best shape possible. Then the chances when you play with a very good team, they will come. I think it’s a combination of knowing that you do it together but also taking a role and responsibility in order to make the difference – and I think he did that on plenty of occasions and that’s why he’s been so influential in the goals and assists he had. He obviously realizes as well that at the end of the day it’s a team thing, because he won’t win prizes without us and we won’t win prizes without him, so it’s like a together thing and that’s why it works so well. In terms of his contribution, in terms of goals, assists, in my opinion, as a winger it’s out of this world, and I was really grateful and pleased to be part of that.

The departure of Salah of course means the removal of a diagonal ball that Van Dijk was always keen to play:

I think it was always a great outlet, knowing obviously that in games you have to mix it up. Because at times teams are adapting to it but some teams are coming across completely and then when you have a switch of play and then can break the press with one pass or get past six players in one pass, then obviously that’s great for the team and I think it worked pretty well over all those years. And knowing that Mo can make the difference in that sense as well is obviously a great feeling. It’s something I’m going to miss but someone else has to stand there and hopefully do the job as well. But definitely something that was a big weapon for us and I think I’ve played many, many passes like that to him over all those years.

Speaking, finally, of the two men at once, Van Dijk was asked to choose one defining moment, on the pitch or off it, that he will remember in the two players’ legacies:

If I would start with Robbo, we all remember, for example, very clearly the Barcelona home game when he’s setting the tone and trying to upset one of the best players of all time with pushing against his head. And his Man City moment at home when he starts to press everyone almost in the team. But for me, it is just the way they are. In this case Robbo, the way he is as a human being, as a part of the puzzle that was making us successful. I think him being who he is – respectful, hard-working, obviously the qualities that he had – that’s what makes the difference. And like I said, it was an absolute joy to be playing with him and something I really enjoyed up until this day, by the way. But yeah, it’s something I’m going to miss personally. I’m going to 100 per cent miss having him as a character around us as a team, but also [as] one of the guys that experienced and dealt with so many tough moments and also good moments, because good moments shouldn’t be underestimated as well that could have such an impact on you. So yeah, it’s definitely something I’m going to miss.

And in terms of Mo, I think for me personally, obviously looking from behind and seeing what he did and the beautiful goals he scored, how strong he is like when there’s a one-v-one and no-one can get him off the ball or the important penalties he scored. Obviously Mo is not a big talker but obviously he’s a leader by example. So, it’s those types of things I’m 100 per cent going to miss. It’s not like a particular moment that I have in my head. But the matter of fact is that we’ve been through everything together – from the absolute highest of winning the Premier League, the Champions League to the absolute lowest in terms of what happened last summer. It’s a journey that I will be forever grateful for. Forever be grateful that we have been through that together and always will keep our bond together forever, in my opinion. It’s like I said, it is an absolute joy to be watching them, a pleasure to be playing with them. I’ll 100 per cent miss them.

…

I’m going to miss them a lot. Obviously, like you said, the full focus now is on missing them maybe as a footballer and that’s 100 per cent going to happen. But that was always going to happen at a certain point. But like you’ve said, we’ve been playing for like eight years together now. We’ve seen our kids grow up, my kids and Mo’s kids are playing around. They see each other every day, by the way, at school and playing when there are games at Anfield. I spoke to Mo the other day and I saw a picture of Makka and my daughters when they went to Kyiv and they were so small. Time goes so fast. But that’s it, we are more than obviously football players and when you are then going through a phase like this where things are going to change eventually – because nothing is forever, unfortunately – you just have to be proud of what we achieved, proud of being part of history of the club and played a big part of the success that we had. It’s something that will come in time, because obviously we’re still in the sort of rollercoaster, still in that bullet train, if you want to say, that it just keeps going.

But one day we will sit down and we can reflect on the amazing time that we had with the absolute highs, like I just said, but also the incredible lows that we also had to go through together. Because we didn’t really have the time to really digest all of it. But overall, I’m going to miss them. I wish them well, I wish their families well. I want the best for all of them, like I wanted the best for everyone that left before them. And one day when we come together, like I said, we will have a sit down and enjoy it, speak about all the beautiful moments and the situations that we have experienced, reminisce on so many good things, moments. The appreciation normally from the outside world comes a bit later, that’s always how it is, but we just have to carry on, enjoy the rest of our career and in terms of them, just wish them well and want the best for all of them.

The Liverpool captain is certain of Salah and Robertson’s legacies amongst fans, who are to remember them…

As legends. And I think a big part of them is just being legendary and being game-changers, being, in my opinion, once-in-a-lifetime players in their positions. I think that’s amazing to feel and [be] an inspiration to now already the generation that’s been playing but definitely the younger generation. I think there’s so much to learn from both of them. So, I think that’s the greatest thing you have done, in my opinion – to inspire the next generation. I think in a positive way that will be the best achievement you can do. But in terms of Mo, for example, you break so many records then you’re written in the history books forever. Let others try to break those records. But I think in both of them they are legends of the club. They will be forever remembered. It’s been an absolute pleasure.