THE WORLD IS AT THEIR FEET
Hendry was fabulous in Hungary and has all the attributes of a top player SAYS BRENDAN RODGERS
AT the outset of this season, Brendan Rodgers probably felt it more likely he would spot a dodo at Lennoxtown than cross paths with an indigenous centre-half blessed with the requisite ability to play for club and country.
The Celtic manager was vaguely familiar with Jack Hendry’s name but his brief spell at Partick Thistle had pre-dated the player’s return to Scotland while his limited outings for Wigan, Shrewsbury and MK Dons had come very much under the radar.
The lightning-bolt moment arrived at Celtic Park on October 14. Rodgers’ side did just about enough to see Dundee off by a single goal but an otherwise forgettable affair became conspicuous due to the classy performance of the opposition defender.
‘From the first time seeing him close up, I said right after the game to the scouts and the board that he’s a player. He’s perfect for us,’ Rodgers recalled.
‘He played in the game we won 1-0 on the outside of a back three, and he was exceptional.
‘I didn’t know of him at all until he played against us at Parkhead. I’d seen videos of him and I obviously knew he wasn’t at Dundee the year before.
‘But you could very quickly see he had speed and technique, and these are the attributes I like in my team.
‘And, of course, if they have a personality and a profile to go with that, then it’s just about opportunity.
‘Since we were able to do the deal with Dundee, he’s settled in really well here. He knows he’s still got a lot to improve upon, but the beauty with Jack is he’s still very hungry to learn, and he’s in the perfect environment to do that.’
The curious chapter in Hendry’s career story to date is the lack of impact he made at Wigan.
Arriving at the DW Stadium on the back of just a handful of games for Thistle, the expectation was he would soon play his way onto an even bigger stage.
Three appearances in the Football League Trophy were all it took, though, for then Latics boss Gary Caldwell to push his fellow Scot to one side.
Fellow League One side Shrewsbury were only too happy to offer him a temporary home, with MK Dons doing likewise at the outset of last season.
Perhaps throwing a teenager into a promotion fight was a risk Caldwell wasn’t prepared to take at that juncture. His vindication came by way of the title.
Two years on, though, Hendry is making up for lost time.
‘It might not have been the right time or he may not have settled that well, so there’s lots of reasons why sometimes (a move) isn’t quite right,’ said Rodgers.
‘At Partick Thistle when I spoke to Alan Archibald about him, Jack and the young boy Liam Lindsay complemented each other very well. One of them was big and strong and could attack it, and the other could defend well also but was quick on the cover and could play football, so it’s just timing.’
Alex McLeish has undoubtedly been helped by the emergence of Hendry and Aberdeen’s Scott McKenna on to the international stage at the one time.
If the latter was arguably the find of the double header with Costa Rica and Hungary, Hendry’s display alongside him in the second match fuelled the theory that convincing answers to Scotland’s long-standing defensive problems had at last been found.
‘I thought he was outstanding,’ said Rodgers. ‘He has all the attributes to be an international footballer.
‘If you’re going to play in a hightempo style you’ve got to have good technique, have an idea of the game tactically, have speed, be dynamic, and mentally have the composure to play and defend.
‘So for his first game I thought he was absolutely fabulous and showed real promise.
‘Jack isn’t the norm for a Scottish centre-half. If you are looking at international qualities and top-level qualities, then he has all of those, but sometimes players like that don’t get an opportunity.
‘He made one tackle in the game that I’m not sure many Scottish centre-halves could make because he was quick, the speed to get across the ground and cover was absolutely brilliant.
‘He did very, very well. Scott McKenna was excellent as well, so there’s promise there for Scotland.’
It’s also fortuitous for McLeish that Scottish centre-halves of likely international pedigree aren’t just to be found at Celtic Park and Pittodrie.
The end of season trip to Peru and Mexico comes at the very time when Rodgers, especially, would like to see his players rest up ahead of the resumption of pre-season training. Other candidates would be advised to keep their phones on.
‘I spoke briefly to Alex, not in great length,’ said Rodgers. ‘Everyone recognises it’s not an ideal trip, for the end of the season and also where it is and the opponents.’
With the final segment of the season starting with the visit of Ross County tomorrow, most of Rodgers’ problems are now of the pleasing kind.
Scott Bain’s admirable displays against Rangers and Motherwell will see him trusted to keep goal again but Craig Gordon’s recovery is now entering its final stages.
‘I don’t need to worry about that now,’ insisted Rodgers. ‘Scott has come in and done exceptionally well.
‘Craig is an outstanding goalkeeper. His time line was to be back in April and then that is the decisions you make as a manager. Craig has been brilliant for me in my time as a manager, no doubt about that, but he’ll be back at some point in April.
‘He is out on the field now doing some work with Stevie Woods and soon we will have all our keepers in contention. Young Conor Hazard is also doing great out at Falkirk. He is a big one for the future, so it looks healthy.’