Daniel Munthe Agger, also known as Dagger, is the 29-year old Danish defender who has followed the steps of Steven Gerrard in becoming a one-club man.
However, the beginning to his career was different. The 6’3” centre-back started his career in Denmark with Brondby IF, impressing in the youth squad before he was moved to the first team in 2004. In his first season with the first team, he established himself as a regular at the tender age of 20, emerging as a Danish international. He made his full debut for the national team and was named “Talent of the Year” by the Spillerforeningen, which is Danish equivalent of England’s PFA.
As the young Dane’s play continued to flourish, he garnered interest from Europe’s top clubs. In 2006, the defending European champions signed him to a four-and-a-half year contract with a transfer fee of £6m, making him the most expensive Danish footballer. The star had definitely arrived when he scored a 35-yard screamer against West Ham.
Off the field, the 9-year-long Red is a qualified tattoo artist and actually has “YNWA” tattooed on each of his fingers on his left hand. Among other tattoos he has a Viking on his arm and various quotes. He also formed The Agger Foundation to help children in need in 2012. Agger and his wife, Sofie, have two children named Jamie and Mason.
Since joining Liverpool, Agger has been a reliable defender with his ups and some downs. However, throughout his career he has shown to always bounce back from downs. Whether it’s a bad game or a massive gaffe, he comes back stronger and better.
After a grueling season where he played second fiddle to Mamadou Sakho, I expect him to be a prominent piece in Liverpool’s success next year. When watching the Liverpool vs Chelsea game a fortnight ago, a knowledgeable Madrid fan (apparently, those exist), brought up an interesting point: Liverpool have no leadership other than Gerrard. I obviously got defensive and was going to shoot back with an argument but then realized that I had none. He was right. When I thought about the leadership core, all I could think of was Gerrard and finally, the assistant captain Agger, who was sitting on the bench.
The team needs another calming presence on the field to stabilize the atmosphere through times of adversity. While Martin Skrtel and Sakho are talented centerbacks, both can be loose cannons who aren’t calm presences. Leadership is needed at the back to keep the fellow defenders calm after conceding a goal or when holding a lead.
The impending arrival of Champions League football will further increase the importance of Daniel Agger in Liverpool. His experience and calm play against Europe’s best players will be vital in ensuring Liverpool don’t get embarrassed by oppositions or give up any leads. After almost or completely squandering leads to Manchester City, Norwich, and Crystal Palace in the last five games alone, the need for leadership and stability in defense is high, and Daniel Agger is needed at Liverpool as he can provide that for the club he deeply loves. These are the types of characters Anfield needs, individuals who love the club and the fans as much as the fans do.
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