Reds skipper Virgil relishes leading the culture club of Anfield

Van Dijk knows importance of armband

- By PAUL GORST

FOR Virgil van Dijk, the responsibility of being the Liverpool captain stretches far beyond the pitch.

The Reds skipper is sitting in his executive box inside Anfield's Main Stand and is in full flow about what it means to represent the club.

Having made more than 320 appearances in a career on Merseyside that now sees him in his ninth season, Van Dijk has done it all during his time.

Comfortably inside the two-year contract extension he penned in April, the 34-year-old believes it is the structure and the stability that has been put in place over the last decade that has enabled Liverpool to thrive, most notably when they won the Premier League title by 10 points last time out.

“The most important thing is the culture of the club, that never changes,” Van Dijk tells Reach in an exclusive chat.

“That is the most important thing to keep at Liverpool. There are values at the club that everyone has to follow.

“It all starts with these values, working hard and doing it for the fans all around the world and hopefully you can be successful.

“The quality is there but the guarantees are not, so you have to work for it each and every day to do it in the games.

“Since I have been at the club, with Jurgen (Klopp) as the manager and Hendo (Jordan Henderson) as the captain, the values they showed me back then I wanted to carry on.

“That is how it should be for the next few years and whatever happens after I finally have to go. There is the Liverpool way and that is the start to our success.”