Jordan Henderson has caused controversy with his recent comments over his exit from Liverpool, and his performance for England on Saturday did little to further his case.
“It is better to keep one’s mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”
The origin of this quote is up for debate, but it’s one that Jordan Henderson should have perhaps taken note of over the past week.
The former Liverpool captain has not exactly covered himself in glory over the last few days. He seemingly went into his interview with The Athletic believing he would be able to defend his controversial move to Saudi Arabia, but has come out of it with his reputation in tatters.
At best, his responses to questions about the move — having previously been a vocal ally to the LGBTQ+ community — can be described as naïve. He has rightfully been slammed for attempting to play down Saudi Arabia and Qatar’s human rights issues, and his reasoning should only bring more scrutiny, especially if he continues to be selected by England manager Gareth Southgate.
Those comments alone were enough to call into question his position in the Three Lions’ squad, and Henderson didn’t do himself any favors once he got the chance to do his talking on the pitch.
An uninspiring performance from England led to a 1-1 draw against Ukraine on Saturday, and Henderson’s display did nothing to convince anyone that he is still deserving of a place in international football.
The Daily Mail suggested he was ‘off the pace’ while Goal described his performance as ‘sloppy’. And given some of his comments on purely footballing matters, Liverpool fans won’t be lamenting his departure from the club anytime soon.
Henderson suggested that he didn’t feel wanted at Anfield as the Reds underwent a midfield rebuild following a disappointing season.
The inescapable truth is that Henderson’s diminishing returns will have played a big part in the arrivals of the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, and there can be no doubt that Liverpool looks a much better outfit now with those players in the side.
Henderson might not have been happy with a squad role, but he certainly would have been handed opportunities, and might well have started the season in Jürgen Klopp’s side given the initial lack of a holding midfielder.
His surprise decision to move to Saudi Arabia just as pre-season was beginning left a bitter taste for so many supporters, and his subsequent reasoning that he left in order to boost his England chances will have only turned more fans against him. His latest performance wouldn’t have exactly had anyone pining for his return to Anfield.
Henderson has only managed to make his reasons for moving to the Middle East look more flawed with his display in Poland, and given the controversy around him now, he has created a problem for Southgate that wouldn’t have existed had he stayed put at Liverpool, or even moved elsewhere in England or Europe.
Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips have both shown the England manager’s loyalty stretches beyond appearances at club level, but if Henderson’s performances continue to take a downward turn, it’s hard to see how playing in an inferior league warrants his selection for next year’s European Championship.
The former Liverpool captain has insisted he did not move to Saudi Arabia for the money, but with pressure mounting on his place in the national side, if he does end up getting the ax from England, it’s hard to see why else he would have gone there.
Liverpool fans, meanwhile, can rest easy knowing their side has been improved regardless of whether Henderson stayed or not, and if Klopp did suggest to his captain that his role would be reduced, he has just been vindicated.
In the end, it begs the question, was it really worth it Jordan?
