Jordan Henderson

[Mark79]

This is where I'm at with this, I would have liked Henderson to stay and have played the Milner role for a few years. He is clearly not at the level he once was but he has been a great captain and a good player for us, but I believe still has something to offer. I can understand the desire to leave for more game time and I think had he been stepping down a level e.g. Going to a championship club or something in light of what he had done for the club we might have been willing to cancel his contract and forego a fee or at least take a lower fee than we might be looking for now to allow it. But a seeming desire to go to Saudi seems like it is mainly motivated by one thing - money, yes you imagine he will get the game time he wants as well but he could also have got that other places as well. I can understand the desire to go somewhere that you can get paid 3 or 4 times your current salary for the same job is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It just seems like the destination and the way that this has been handled ends his 'role' as and LGBTQ+ ambassador and taints his legacy at the club which I for one am sad about.

I’m happy for him to move on tbh. I think he’s on too big a contract to be a bit part player and I’m not sure he has Milner’s versatility.

Just a shame that after establishing himself as a player with a social conscience he’s ending up looking like a bit of a phoney.

[Alex]

I dont hate him. Id say I was a fan and a bit of a cheerleader to those that wanted to blame him for everything.

But its embarrassing now how this has happened.

[danperkins]

It is true though.

If Henderson does leave, his biggest critics will be those who would have happily gave him away for free a few weeks ago and hilariously 'driven him to the airport' themselves. These new human rights campaigners will be outraged by his decision to go there.

The only thing that could possibly upset them more, is if the deal falls through and he ends up staying, like Rigadon says. Will be pretty funny though.

good god

[BootRoom]

Looks like I was spot on about his adherents coming up with every excuse under the sun to justify "Al Hendo's" move to Saudi.

[Alex]

Who is justifying him going?

[BootRoom]

Who is justifying him going?

The hagiography section.

[rudedog]

Looks like I was spot on about his adherents coming up with every excuse under the sun to justify "Al Hendo's" move to Saudi.

In your version of reality, you are indeed spot on

[BootRoom]

Perhaps Henderson can engage with their culture and try to moderate things to some degree. Someone has to risk sticking their neck out to change things.

I remember football stadiums in this country used to not be as welcoming to people of different skin colours or nationalities. But things changed over time.

Is this "The Plan"?

[Doc_Piptorious]

The hagiography section.

[Kenneth]

It’s obviously struck a chord. Hence your flippant response.

True. The chord was ‘that’s a pretty dumb post’.

[danperkins]

Henderson is entitled to move on in search of more minutes elsewhere.

But his choice of destination is rightly going to draw criticism and disappointment given that he spoke out against Qatar and put himself up as a poster boy for Rainbow Laces and promoted inclusiveness for LGBTQ+ fans.

[Mr Pink]

I just wish we knew this at the start of the window. When there was talks that he was going to be the new Milner, I was thinking would rather he was moved on and Milner got another year… but Henderson had 2 years left in his contract, so… I wonder if the club knew this was coming, would milner have gotten a new contract.

I also wish it was done sooner, for squad harmony. It can’t be good for morale when they’re off at training camp and the captain’s trying to leave the club. I wish they’d just announce a new captain now. Even if he ends up staying, I think a new captain would make sense- someone who’s playing every week, and someone who wouldn’t rather be somewhere else.

I don’t blame Henderson if he’s looking for a big pay day to end his career, but he needs to deal with the consequences- one of which should be losing the captaincy.

[BootRoom]

The "leaving for more minutes" angle is a funny one because last season "Al Hendo" adherents were using the excuse that "The Plan" was to use "Al Hendo" more sparingly (how they came to know of this plan is unknown), but because of injuries etc, we ended up using him much more. It also puts the kibosh on the idea of "Al Hendo" being happy to play the role Super Captain behind the scenes while not playing much.

[danperkins]

The more mins arguments falls flat on its arse when of all the clubs in the world he could potentially go to "for more mins", this is the one that peaks the most interest. I wonder why, maybe he was a boyhood fan and has dreamed of playing for them? Maybe he wants to enact change in Saudi for the better one paycheck at a time?

If he doesn't go the PR spin should be interesting and if he does go, he's going to get pelter. Either way it's tarnished his rep and puts a real spanner in the works for us this late in the window.

[Charly]

Is this "The Plan"?

I dunno what you are implying? What plan?