Is Agger the right choice?

SO Liverpool fans (or, at least, regular visitors to LFC.tv) have voted with their fingers and made our great Dane the massive favourite to take over from Jamie Carragher as the club’s vice captain.

While Steven Gerrard has been club captain since 2003, for me, the vice captain has always been the real ‘captain’ of the team. From Sami Hyypia, through Jamie Carragher – both of these men where the real team captains.

Let me say though, that this isn’t a slight on Gerrard; he is still a magnificent player and has been the spearhead, talisman and figurehead of this club for the better part of the last decade but he is not a ‘captain’, in the traditional sense.

On the field, Gerrard has always led by example; it has always been his performances that have inspired his team-mates, whilst his vice captain has organized the team, did all the shouting and berating of referees. In that regard, Gerrard has always left those particular duties to his understudy.

Which is no bad thing, as it shows he knows his strengths and weaknesses; allowing his vice captain to share responsibilities. It also means that whoever is to take the reins from Carragher is going to need to step into this role.

The three obvious choices are Dan Agger (as mentioned already), Luis Suarez and Pepe Reina. Lucas Leiva may be one for the future and Martin Skrtel would’ve been a consideration had his future not been the most in doubt of any Reds player.

With a huge 63% of LFC.tv visitors voting for Daniel Agger as vice captain, it would appear that the favourite is already in place. With the Dane having had the backing of the likes of Robbie Fowler too, it’s hard to not consider him the people’s and the legends’ choice.

In many ways, it’d be hard to argue either, as he has demonstrated many times over the years that he has the qualities to lead, not least of all because he is currently the Denmark captain.

Not only that but Agger is a fine, fine footballer, which is a huge bonus for a captain (or vice), particularly one which plays as a centre-back.

One the downside for Agger, he does still have tendency to get caught out from time-to-time and his positional awareness is still not up to the same standards as a Carragher or Hyypia. But at the young age of 28 (he’s still got a good 6-8 years left at that age, for a defender) that isn’t such a huge worry and this could be the season when Agger truly comes into his own, particularly as he’ll be the most senior defender at the club.

As for Reina, he would have been my first choice for vice captain as he has shown himself to be a captain in a greater sense of the word for years. Reina is a great man and a huge personality, not only a great goalkeeper and top footballer. He combines all the aspects of a ‘club captain’ that you would expect and want.

Whilst Steven Gerrard is a leader from the front on the pitch, he has always been quite introverted off it. Which is no bad thing, as his ability speaks for itself. But like Jamie Carragher, Reina is able to represent the club and present himself as a leader at every level.
[ad_pod id=”unruly-video” align=”center”]
Just look at him when he is on Spain duty – he is rarely a starter (which isn’t a remark on his ability) but is always cheering his team on from the bench, a strong personality in the dressing room and the first in front of the cameras after matches.

Coupled with great experience and ability and a mouth so big he can be heard at the other end of the pitch, Reina is a strong candidate for vice captain.

Then there is Luis Suarez. The fact that England, the press and the fans of our two biggest rivals hate the Uruguayan so much would be enough of a reason to elevate his status at the club.

But we’re surely not that petty and vindictive? Well then, those reasons aside, we’re blessed to have a player of Suarez’s ability to support every week and it is rare to find a player of such quality, with great leadership qualities.

Like the previous vice captain, Suarez is a ball-buster; constantly berating his team-mates, whether they’re 5 years older or are making their début – he doesn’t let up

And like other Liverpool stalwarts, Agger and Carragher, he is always first to the referee to protest injustices (although these are primarily against himself!) and fight for his side. Any player that gives 150% every week, like Suarez, whether playing a friendly or an international cup final has the make-up and cojones to be a captain or vice-captain.

All three of those mentioned have what it takes and fully deserve the chance, should it be offered and I don’t think many fans would argue if any of them were presented with such an opportunity.

The only negative against any of these players would be Suarez and his…shall we say, ‘engineering’ of a move away to Real Madrid. If he does indeed end up spending another season with the club, I think much more of his behaviour in the press would leave a sour taste in many mouths should he be promoted to vice captain.

Then again, on the other hand, promoting him might make leaving even harder to do. Suarez is a very emotional and passionate character and the gesture alone may inspire him to stay on and lead the club.

On the other hand both Reina and Agger have shown great loyalty to the club in the past few years, when many of us would’ve found it hard to argue if they’d chosen to leave for more successes.

While it would be a tough choice, I think that at present Reina would be my preference. At his age it is the right time to promote Reina to vice captain. The Spanish stopper has never agitated for a move and has never seemed like he wanted to go but we can only hold onto such a top player for so long in the face of the mediocrity we’ve suffered over the years and the gesture, as with Suarez, would mean a lot to him I’m sure.

Not only that but after last season, with only Bran Jones for competition, he really needs something to inspire him to push on and return to the form that made him the best in the country, even Europe and while I don’t believe that signing Simon Mignolet is it, I think becoming Steven Gerrard’s understudy could be that.

I would not argue for a second if Dan Agger was offered this privilege but Reina is the choice for me.

Who would you choose to become the clubs’ new vice-captain this coming season?
[ad_pod id=’pubsquared’ align=’right’]
Live4Liverpool is recruiting columnists. For further info contact the site editor at live4liverpool@snack-media.com

Follow us on Twitter here: @live4Liverpool and ‘Like’ us on Facebook