Jordan Henderson has developed into one in all Europe’s greatest midfielders, and it’s honest to say he was by no means predicted to be this good.
His switch to Liverpool in 2011 was lengthy criticised and the Reds even tried to dump Henderson after only one yr as they tried to signal Clint Dempsey from Fulham in a swap deal.
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He was thought-about an Anfield flop for a few years earlier than lastly coming good and fulfilling his potential, and final season Henderson turned the primary Liverpool captain to ever carry the Premier League trophy.
He additionally acquired his palms on the European Cup a yr earlier, and people who wrote Henderson off have been left with egg on their face.
However one man who at all times noticed the potential in Henderson was his former Sunderland supervisor Roy Keane, who handed the midfielder his skilled debut in a 5-Zero thrashing by Chelsea in November 2008.
And Manchester United legend Keane, who left the Black Cats weeks after the Chelsea match, truly acted as a private tutor to Henderson throughout coaching periods.
Sunderland’s former academy director Ged McNamee has revealed Keane used to name Henderson as much as first-team coaching, after which associate him in midfielder when apply matches had been performed.
“He had the drive to be a participant and the supervisor Roy Keane noticed one thing in him that he favored,” McNamee advised the BBC.
“After a reserve recreation that had gone badly, Roy requested Jordan and some different lads in the event that they thought they might play within the first group and when Jordan mentioned ‘sure’ it confirmed him he had a little bit of bottle about him.
“When he was known as over to coach he would very often play in matches alongside Roy in central midfield. In order a 16 and 17-year-old he would have somebody of that stature and high quality speaking to him, teaching him and telling him what he wanted to do.
Getty Photographs – Getty
Getty Photographs – Getty
“The supervisor was on at him on a regular basis however I feel it drove him on to enhance and wish extra.”
Regardless of Keane’s religion in Henderson, there have been critical doubts amongst the Sunderland ranks over the present Liverpool skipper even turning into a footballer.
“Once we had been making choices on gamers at 16 there have been huge query marks about him,” added McNamee.
“The medical division did some checks and the consensus was that he was going to develop however he was the final one via the door.
“We spoke to the household and it was fairly an emotional assembly as a result of there was numerous strain taken off their shoulders, however he flourished as soon as his physique settled.”
