JORDAN’S A PRIZE GUY
Klopp promises KO’D Hendo he’s the only man who can lift title trophy
JURGEN KLOPP says every one of his players wants Jordan Henderson to get the recognition he deserves with a fitting Premier League title presentation.
And it means that, even though the skipper has been ruled out for the season, he will still take centre stage when the trophy is presented after the game against Chelsea at Anfield on July 22.
In fact, Klopp insisted the only question will be over whether Henderson, because of the knee injury which has curtailed his campaign (right), can do his trademark shuffle when he raises the trophy aloft.
“Get him out of the tracksuit? I don’t know yet, we will do everything that is possible to do it the right way,” Klopp said of the presentation.
“We will find a solution that shows the respect for what he has done. It will be difficult for him to start the match against Chelsea but Hendo will be there and he will wear the match kit and everything will be fine.”
The Reds boss says the players will demand Henderson takes the trophy when his side are officially crowned champions.
“All the boys want that, they all want him to be there,” he said.
“When we knew the injury was not as serious as we thought, it was a big relief. For the role he has played over the last few years, he deserves to be in that spot at that moment.
“Virgil van Dijk told Hendo: ‘The shuffle, you can do the shuffle again’. I am not sure if he is able to do the shuffle now, but that is the biggest of the problems.”
There have been some mischievous social-media suggestions saying Henderson may repeat John Terry’s widelyderided Champions League final stunt of changing into full kit to take the trophy. But Liverpool are likely to wear special tops recognising their achievement of lifting the title for the first time in 30 years, taking their total to 19, and the inspirational Kop midfielder may even be part of the match-day squad.
Klopp believes the most important thing is his captain’s inrole as a leader is recognised.
“He is absolutely one of the great captains of this club,” he said. “It is the most difficult job you can have because following Stevie Gerrard was always going to be very difficult.
“He grew into the role and now he’s probably a role model for the next generation of Liverpool skippers. He became a man age-wise and became a real and proper captain. When you are massively under pressure from outside expectation, that is a pretty big achievement.
“If the injury had been as bad as we first thought and he’d needed surgery, it would have been difficult, but he will be fine. He deserves to lift the trophy and he will lift the trophy.”