EURO GLORY WILL MAKE GUTSY SKIPPER A TRUE REDS LEGEND

THOSE fortunate to gain access to the inner sanctum of Anfield can find photos on the wall of previous Liverpool captains holding aloft the European Cup.

The images are the stuff of legend. And the privilege is reserved for the select few – Emlyn Hughes, Phil Thompson, Graeme Souness and Steven Gerrard.

Being captain of any side is a huge responsibility, but there is an extra dimension to the role on Merseyside.

The Reds have had some of the best of all time. Giants like Ron Yeats, Alan Hansen and Kenny Dalglish to add to the names mentioned above.

Being this team’s leader requires inspiration, dedication and the ability to cope with, in most cases, being the one player the fans identify with most.

Few did it better than Gerrard, who was the ultimate talisman for one of the ultimate clubs in world football.

It was Gerrard who anointed Jordan Henderson as his natural successor as both midfield enforcer and skipper. Henderson must have felt like texting Gerrard a sarcastic message along the lines of ‘gee, thanks a lot Stevie’.

Gerrard’s claim did Henderson few favours.

Having joined the Reds from Sunderland in 2011 for £20m, he battled against a constant undercurrent of criticism in a bid to prove he was a worthy successor to Gerrard’s throne.

In stark contrast to the club’s famous motto ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, Henderson often looked isolated and exposed under the constant scrutiny and trial by social media.

Hurting

He made 44 appearances in his first season, but most had little impact.

The following summer then manager Brendan Rodgers tried to loan him to Fulham, a move Henderson rejected.

Then Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of bitter rivals Manchester United, mocked Henderson’s running style in his autobiography.

Rodgers claimed the attack was capable of ruining Henderson’s career. Henderson laughed it off but will have been hurting inside.

Yet somehow Henderson rode through the storm and had the strength of character to use all the negatives as the motivation to succeed.

When Gerrard finally quit in 2015, Henderson was made captain and along with the armband came the ‘Mission Impossible’ of trying to fill the boots of arguably the club’s greatest ever player. Henderson is no Gerrard and never will be.

But what boss Jurgen Klopp has recognised in him is an honest, diligent and invaluable leader. Someone who has stood up to the plate whenever needed.

The 27-year-old is approaching his peak yet, outside of Anfield, he remains one of the most under-appreciated players in English football.

Inside the club it’s a different story these days.

A measure of his stature now could be found during the recent home draw with Stoke when he went down injured and 50,000 people held their breath. The concern was palpable.

Yet the fact remains that on a footballing list of ‘Things You Never Thought You’d See’, a picture of Henderson holding aloft the European Cup has to be right up there.

But on Saturday it could happen when he leads Klopp’s men into battle against Real Madrid in the Champions League Final in Kiev.

There is a reason Klopp chose Henderson to be his leader of men. The role wasn’t gifted to him. It has been earned.

It’s been a long road to redemption for Henderson, but a place in Merseyside folklore is within his grasp.

If Henderson can go on to emulate Gerrard & Co, he will find himself on the wall of fame next to him – and his legend will be cemented.