WHAT A DAY FOR HENDO: AN AWARD AND A WORK OF ART
FWA player of the year Henderson insists Liverpool will be up for a renewed challenge from their rivals... after a rest!
FOR Jordan Henderson, it has been a demanding year, leading Liverpool to the title, and leading Premier League players in their support of those dealing directly with the pandemic.
Surely he must be looking forward to a break before Jurgen Klopp’s team start their defence of the crown?
“I’m ready now,” said Henderson, voted the Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association.
“The day I woke up after lifting the trophy (below), it was about the next challenge. I have listened to people who have won it and they say it is hard to win and even harder to retain, so the challenge starts now.
“I love what the gaffer said. We will not defend the trophy, we will attack it. That is the perfect way for our football team. That is the mentality we have shown over the past year. Improve, and give everything.
“The time off is the same for everyone. That will not be an excuse. The lads would be ready to start the new Premier League tomorrow and do everything to retain the title.”
Henderson beat Kevin De Bruyne to the writers’ accolade and joined the likes of Kevin
Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, John Barnes, Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez as one of 11 Liverpool winners. Even as he was honoured, there was a debate about whether, in purely footballing terms, he was a worthy recipient.
And it is that sort of scepticism that has driven Henderson, who moved to Liverpool from Sunderland for £20million in 2011, throughout his career.
He explained: “When you are a young player it is harder to deal with but I have found ways to deal with it through experience.
“Now I look more for criticism as fuel to drive me forward. That is a big part of life. You are going to have setbacks and criticism but it is how you react to those situations. Use it as motivation to come back stronger and improve. That is all I have ever tried to do.”
No one can deny Henderson has improved over his nine years at Anfield but a first major individual award was also recognition of his work off the pitch, co-ordinating the efforts of the Players Together movement.
And the initiative, which raised millions of pounds for NHS charities, is clearly something the 30-year-old is hugely proud of.
He said: “It is a huge thing for us. It is something we are all very proud of, putting the rivalry aside and doing something for the greater good of the country.
“The captains, the players, the representatives of each and every single club have been unbelievable. In terms of money raised, it was millions for the people who needed it most.
“But it was not just about the financial side, it was about the support and the emotional side towards the NHS staff and the volunteers. When I spoke to Ellie Orton, who is the CEO of the NHS Charities Together, she mentioned how huge an impact that had on the mentality of the NHS staff and what it meant to them.
“A lot of people love football in this country so to see their heroes come together to support them has really helped over the last few months.”