Jordan Henderson

[Craig_H]

I most certainly can.

Are you suggesting your character on here is entirely faked then?

[Mattshark]

I most certainly can.

Are you suggesting your character on here is entirely faked then?

Nope it is merely a reflection of my feeling about the clubs direction at present that is all. I was very much more cheerful pre-hodgson and at the end of last season. It is not a reflection of me in general.

[Mostar]

thought he was decent against arsenal. showed some of the things he is capable of. his best bits were when he was more central.

And that's imo where he should play when he does play.

He offers very little or nothing when he is on the right.

[reds123]

And that's imo where he should play when he does play.

He offers very little or nothing when he is on the right.

That's why most of us are astonished when we see Hendo on the right.

Why not give a chance to Shelvey? And give a rest to Hend. instead of playing him out of position?

[danperkins]

I wouldn't be a big fan of Jordan Henderson but clearly playing him on the right is doig nothig for LFC and Henderson himself.

[Slinky Skills]

And that's imo where he should play when he does play.

He offers very little or nothing when he is on the right.

His cross for Suarez's second at Stoke was from the right.

I think he has the potential to play on the right, he has a good touch and is lightening when he wants to be but overall he's better in the middle.

Does no one think this lad is going to turn out to be a real player? I think he's going to be brilliant for us.

There's something about him, don't know whether it's his pace or touch or his **** hair or what I'm unsure but he has something.

[Buzzo]

Jordan Henderson exclusive: No regrets over quitting Sunderland for Liverpool

Published 22:00 09/03/12 By David Maddock

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jordan-henderson-liverpool-cropped

Sit in the company of Jordan Henderson for even a few minutes, and his affection and gratitude towards Sunderland FC becomes charmingly obvious.

Ask him though, if there are any sneaking regrets about leaving the club he still regards as an extended “family” after a difficult introduction at new club Liverpool, and that polite demeanour turns chilly as he barks out a single emphatic word...

“No”.

It is a blunt as that.

No explanation. No qualification.

The midfielder is a respectful and dedicated professional, but he is also determinedly ambitious and won’t allow even family ties to get in the way of that.

There are those who would suggest - with just a hint of malice –ahead of the midfielder’s first return to the Stadium of Light in Liverpool colours on Saturday afternoon that it is Sunderland who have had rather the better of the £20million transfer that took him to Anfield last summer.

When this is put to Henderson, he shows respect and steel in equal measure.

His eyes narrow and his face sets in response to what is not exactly a kind question.

“People are entitled to that opinion," he says, "and if they’re thinking that when I go back then it’s up to me to prove them wrong.”

The words are delivered with a bite those same critics would say his play has too often been missing since a move that catapulted him onto the list of the five most expensive players in Liverpool history.

Henderson admits he hears the criticism, but feels he doesn’t have to justify it.

Instead, he talks of a progression that underpins his ambition, and argues that you can’t make that progression without difficult decisions - or difficult times.

“Of course I’ve heard the criticism - you can’t ignore it. And I accept they have a right to make it," he adds.

"When you look at the price-tag, then you’re always going to get it. But the only response I can have is to try to keep improving - by playing as much as I can, to keep learning and keep getting better.

"You have setbacks in life – you’ve got to deal with them and use them to make you mentally stronger.

“It’s not exactly been a horrendous season, but yeah, there have been difficult times. I’ve enjoyed it here, it’s a massive club and it is not always as easy as people may think to settle in immediately.

“What do you do? You have to keep playing and improving, and at a club like this, with players of the quality of Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez around you, you are going to improve by learning from them.”

Just the mere mention of those names offers an insight into the reasons why Henderson left the comfort and warmth of Sunderland to embark on a new adventure at the tender age of 20 - and also why he has absolutely no regrets.

“Don’t get me wrong, I loved my time at Sunderland," he says. "I was a fan, I was a kid at the academy and came through the system, and they made me the person I am.

“I loved it, I really did. So many people there helped me to become a footballer, and it felt like I was part of a family, but I knew without doubt it was time to move.

"I’ll go back with so much affection, but no regrets.

“I look around at Liverpool and everything about the club says it is massive.

"I’m not saying we’re going to win the league tomorrow, but the club is set up to be successful and to win major trophies. That’s the aim here, and it’s why I came - why I couldn’t turn the chance down.”

Of course, Henderson already has his first medal in the bag after Liverpool's tense Carling Cup Final last month - which is why he is reluctant to go along with the alarmingly widespread view that his first Anfield season has been something of a disappointment.

There have been difficulties on and off the pitch - most notably with the Suarez affair, which put an intense spotlight onto the club and, by extension, onto the new players in whom manager Kenny Dalglish invested more than £100m and so much faith.

At Wembley though, it was a different kind of spotlight, as the young international got a taste of what the future could hold for a successful Liverpool side.

“It was my first senior honour, and an amazing moment. You go to Wembley with a club like Liverpool and see the response of the fans, and you get an idea of how truly massive it is,” explains Henderson.

“It’s not always been easy this season, for me and for the team on and off the pitch, but there is a real spirit in the squad. We have come together through all of that, and we can build on that spirit.

“Results haven’t always been as good as they should be in the league, and it is easy to make excuses.

"With me, I could say, 'I’m a young player, I’ve played in different positions', but I don’t want to make any excuses.

“It could be better, and that’s the bottom line. But there are a lot of positives too. We lost against Arsenal last week, but you saw how well we played, and we can take an awful lot of positives from that.

“It’s about progression. That’s why I came here, to progress, and I think I can do that.”

Again, it is said with a determination which suggests an inner steel that may yet ensure there are no regrets in the life of Jordan Henderson.

[danperkins]

For me, it's just not going to happen for this lad at LFC. Regardless if he is being played at RM, IMO he doesn't have what it takes to make it at a top club.

[DannyMan2006]

Henderson will be a top player for LFC in the future. He has the right mentality to push on and improve.

[Lee]

I agree that he'll go on to be a good player, Danny. But he's not currently good enough to start for us week in week out at the moment.

The midfield of Henderson, Adam & Spearing today was quite embarrassing.

[danperkins]

Henderson will be a top player for LFC in the future. He has the right mentality to push on and improve.

Disagree, IMO his mentality is his problem. No bottle and hides in games. He has only played so much this season because of injuries and this has been to our detriment, not his fault i suppose he is no ready, i just don't see with him.

Hope you're right though

[Icon]

He's a bencher at the moment...

[danperkins]

He's a bencher at the moment...

Him and 4 or 5 others mate

[Imy]

Disagree, IMO his mentality is his problem. No bottle and hides in games. He has only played so much this season because of injuries and this has been to our detriment, not his fault i suppose he is no ready, i just don't see with him.

Hope you're right though

[Mostar]

Henderson will be a top player for LFC in the future. He has the right mentality to push on and improve.

He will improve but if he will ever be top player for LFC is very questionable.

I have seen very little from to him so far to warrant that sense of optimism.

I also don't think that comparison with Lucas is fair nor just.

Henderson was brought up as a player in England and he already played almost 100 games at the senior level for Sunderland and LFC and Lucas needed quite a bit of time to adjust to foreign country, different type of play that he enjoyed while playing for Brazil, different language etc.

On that basis I expected more from him at this point even when considering he is 21 and it is not the same to play for Sunderland and LFC and that consistancy is not there but I just don't see what he offers at the present time.

I guess we will see what happens but personally at this point I'm very reserved if he will prove to be a player that Kenny and Comolli thought when they signed him.