JEFF IS JUST THE JOB FOR UNITED
MAGPIES BOSS BRUCE’S PAL MCCARTHY GIVES SEAL OF APPROVAL TO ‘BRILLIANT LAD’ AND ‘BARGAIN’ HENDRICK
WHEN Steve Bruce picked up the phone to Mick McCarthy to ask him about Jeff Hendrick, his long-time managerial mate did not beat around the bush.
Hendrick was in every Ireland squad McCarthy picked, scored the first goal of his return to that job and distinguished himself in midfield during a Euro qualification campaign which was cut short by coronavirus.
So when the 28-year-old’s contract expired in June - leaving him a bystander for Project Restart Bruce was not the first manager on the phone to the international coach who had hailed Hendrick “one of the most athletic players I have ever worked with”.
In these datadriven days, Hendrick’s stats piqued the interest of some big clubs.
Milan, West Ham, Manchester United and a few others all included him on recruitment lists, fully aware his contractual status made him a very useful addition.
Hendrick wanted a long-term deal - this was the biggest contract of his career - and that meant that, as appealing as he was, any club picking him up had to be certain about it.
If Newcastle’s head coach was still on the fence about Hendrick before that chat, McCarthy’s words would surely have been enough to sway it. McCarthy said: “Yes, Steve rang me to ask about him and whether he would be a good signing - and I told him exactly what I am telling you.
“I just said: ‘Yes. In a heartbeat.’ They were my first words.
“I think it is a great signing. You don’t get too many as good as Jeff on a free transfer, that’s for sure.
“It us an unbelievable bargain for Newcastle and I think he will be great for Steve.
“Jeff has been doing it for Burnley for four years in the Premier
League. For me he was brilliant. I think he is a very good player, he is athletic, he has a good touch, he can see a pass and he has a goal in him.
“I said to Brucey: ‘He is all of those things and he is 6ft 1ins, 6ft 2ins - he can defend corner kicks as well.’
“I think there is more to come from him as well, he has more to offer than he has shown so far.”
For United fans enticed with talk of world stars and Saudi cash, the free signing of a Burnley midfielder might feel like it represents a sobering reminder of where the club stand.
However, it is actually a continuation of the principles Rafa Benitez first established at the club in the wake of relegation to the Championship - sign players for what they can do, what they bring to the group and forget about reputation.
For McCarthy, his mentality made him one of the first names on his
I think there is more to come from him as well, he has more to offer than he has shown so far
Mick McCarthy on Jeff Hendrick
team sheet.
He added: “People will say Burnley this or that but they keep finishing well in the Premier League and
Jeff has been involved in that.
“He played narrow on the right for them and what I love about that is it is not really his position but does he moan? Does he whinge? Does he hell. He just gets on and plays.
“He does what he does, fits in and does a job. I loved him with Ireland. “He was terrific for me. “He scored the winner in our first game, getting into the box, and he has an eye for goal. “You talked about mentality up in the North East. He has no hang-ups. “He is a proper bloke. I did not see any hang-ups in him.” McCarthy went on: “He played at international level - he played against good teams in Switzerland and Denmark and did very, very well.
“He was as good as any one else on the pitch in those matches.
“We played 4-3-3 and he played centrally.
“He is a nice option to have narrow on the right if you have a man like Allan Saint-Maximin who wanders and does damage in the box in a freer role.
“Jeff is a very safe option in that formation because he will offer that back-up and I am sure there will be some consideration of that.”
At 28, McCarthy’s feeling there is “more to come” from Hendrick is an intriguing one. While the ex-Burnley man is a fairly wellknown commodity in the Premier League, his old Ireland boss feels he can get even better.
He said: “I think he has goals in him if he is allowed to run into the box - that is what I mean.
“He is not just a hard-working, diligent, sensible player - if he is allowed to make his runs into the box then there are goals i n him.
“He is a great lad.”