Rob Mason - HENDO: Jordan Henderson ebook

THE JORDAN HENDERSON STORY

by Rob Mason

Published by G2 Entertainment Ltd

G2 Entertainment 2020

eISBN: 9781782817888

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information within this publication but the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the publishers.

AUTHOR: Rob Mason

PUBLISHERS: Edward Adams and Jules Gammond

PICTURES: Action Images, Press Association

PRINTED IN EUROPE

THANKS TO:

Jules Gammond, Steve Ogrizovic, Marcus Hall, Mark Hornby,

Sarah Morris, Jim Brown, Kevin Ball, Ian Dipper and Scott Pearce.

From June 2019 to July 2020 Jordan Henderson captained Liverpool to the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and finally at long last for the Reds to the Premier League title. It was the first time Liverpool had been champions of England since they clinched the title in the season before Jordan was born in the summer of 1990, a time before the Premier League had even started.

Hendo: The Jordan Henderson story tells the story of a footballer who has achieved all this and more. In an era where so many players put themselves and not the team first Jordan Henderson stands out from the crowd by always putting the team before himself. So often criticised by supporters as he tried to achieve what Jurgen Klopp described as, the most difficult job in the last 500 years of football by replacing Steven Gerrard, let Gerrard be the judge. Stevie G himself says of Hendo, If I had to name someone I regard as the ultimate professional, then Jordan Henderson would come right at the top of the list. He is selfless, he puts himself at the back of the queue because he looks after everyone else first. He puts Jordan Henderson last.

Hendo traces the story of Jordans rise to the top at Liverpool featuring his stints under King Kenny Dalglish who signed him, Brendan Rodgers who he had to win around but who appointed him captain and Jurgen Klopp who has made him a multiple winner. With contributions from people who coached him when he was as young as six, through his youth team years, early loan with Coventry City and rise to full England status with Sunderland this book follows the path of a player who has become admired and respected throughout the game.

Having followed Jordans career since seeing him make his debut at Under 18 level he has always been someone I have seen invariably represent all that is good about football. During the coronavirus pandemic that cost so many people their lives and suspended the 2019-20 season, Jordans initiative in bringing about the #PlayersTogether project illustrated that being the ultimate team player extended to warranting that accolade off the pitch as well as on it.

Rob Mason

July 2020

Rob has written more than 50 football books, mostly on Sunderland but also on West Ham United, Burnley and Ipswich Town. He also produced From Zero to Hero The Gareth Southgate Story, as well as Mirror Footballs Ultimate Guide to the Premier League in 2020 and 2021.

Positional strength is one of Jordan Hendersons greatest attributes. Not just with regard to his own position but his whole teams. Watch Hendo play and you will see that not only does he automatically cover for anyone who is drawn out of position but hell direct others to do the same. This isnt simply a reactive response but a pro-active one. Henderson has long been adept at making runs that make space for team-mates to exploit. Rarely if ever does he get the credit for this unselfishness but in the case of #PlayersTogether it was there for all to witness.

As the nation pondered players on their PlayStations or counting their money during the Coronavirus Lockdown of the Spring of 2020 Hendersons hopes of imminently lifting the Premier League crown were put on hold while he dreamt up a scheme of organising Premier League players as a whole to do something positive in the face of awful adversity.

No one doubts that Premier League footballers earn vast amounts of money. Some ostentatiously flaunt their wealth but the vast majority do not, living quiet lives and trying to ensure that if they attract the attention of the press it is for the back pages and not the front. A stranger to the front pages of the national tabloids Jordan found himself there early in April 2020 not because of some misdemeanour or error of judgement but due to his leadership in contacting every other Premier League captain to forge a way forward for footballers to independently make a significant financial contribution to helping the National Health Service at a time when every doctor, nurse, hospital cleaner or other employee was waking up every day and knowing that when they went to work they were putting their own life at risk and with it the consequences for them and their families.

Suddenly the pressure that people talk about in sport seemed laughable. Playing football, golf, tennis or whatever your chosen game is after all a game. There may be high level stakes involving prestige, money or both but nothing to compare with thinking coming to the aid of stricken people could see you in serious danger yourself.

AFC Bournemouth captain Simon Francis was one of those to confirm that Henderson was the man behind the players initiative. He told the BBC, Jordan took the initiative to pitch the idea to the rest of the lads and it was a no-brainer for us. A player who made the journey from League One to the Premier League with the Cherries, Francis added, It's a great chance for players to show how much the NHS means to us - a cause that is close to a lot of players' hearts. The Cherries skippers view was backed up by his vice-captain Andrew Surman who added in the Bournemouth Daily Echo, I have to take my hat off to Jordan Henderson for what he has done with the fund he has set up.

Conor Coady, the Wolves skipper was another to acknowledge Hendersons leadership, 'Jordan was brilliant in terms of setting up and taking the initiative and moving forward with it and then getting in contact with everybody. As soon as he did, everybody was on board straight away. So it's a brilliant, brilliant thing that he's set up and something that'll affect a lot of people

Burnley captain Ben Mee first played against Henderson in 2008, contesting a two-legged FA Youth Cup semi-final in his days with Manchester City while Jordan was with Sunderland. The Clarets captain wrote in the Guardian, Jordan Henderson might be the captain of the European champions but he is also a working-class lad from Sunderland who deserves full credit for bringing us all together, showing what makes a true leader. As a group we just wanted to do something positive, and we feel we have taken a step towards achieving it. From the moment Jordan called me, the Premier League captains have worked tirelessly to ensure we could get #PlayersTogether in place in such a short time. There has been great collective urgency to help in any way possible, while at the same time ensuring our funds are directed to the places that are most needed. Naturally, such a complex matter needs time to sort, but our frank discussions always had the same purpose: to help in any way we can.