Jordan Henderson has spent his Liverpool career answering questions. Initially, they were of the unflattering variety. As he was bracketed alongside Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing and Charlie Adam among the expensive misfits bought in 2011, there were questions why Liverpool paid £16 million (Dh95.4m) for him and whether he was good enough to play for an elite club, even one in the doldrums.
Now it is a sign of his swift, assured progress that the questions have changed. They remain awkward to answer, but for different reasons. With innate modesty, Henderson shrugged off suggestions he is one of the first names on Brendan Rodgers’ teamsheet.
“Who says that?” he asked. Many do, even if he hasn’t noticed: the facts show that he started 35 league games last season, missing only the three when he was suspended.
Liverpool spent £117m this summer but, no matter how many players are signed, the constant is that Henderson stays in the side. Needless to say, however, he does not take his place for granted.
“I think everybody is equal in the squad,” he insisted. “I feel as though we have a lot of good players here so everybody is working their absolute hardest and the best that they can to try and get in the first XI.”
Yet there is a theory he will soon be first among equals. A junior player has acquired a seniority. Steven Gerrard has completed a decade with the armband but he is 34 and with vice-captain Daniel Agger returning to his native Denmark, with the experienced Lucas Leiva on the fringes of the side, with Glen Johnson in the final year of his contract, Henderson suddenly seems his successor as skipper.
“I think that’s a long way off yet,” he said. “I think Stevie has many years left in him. He trains hard every day; he’s always in the gym and as you can see from his performances and he is still really fit so that’s a while off yet.
“I think it will be a long time before anything like that will come around so for me I just have to keep going in the right direction, keep working hard, try to help people the best I can.”
Yet, understated as his approach is, Henderson has become a regular for club and country. It is only two years ago since Liverpool were willing to let him join Fulham. Now he has gone from unwanted to indispensable and there is quiet recognition that he has taken giant strides.
“Personally I feel as though I’ve went through a lot over the last few years and I feel as though I have matured a lot and I feel as though I can deal with it in my own way,” he said. “I can do more things. The more pressure, the more I like it.”
That is just as well. It is a fact of life at Anfield. “There is always going to be pressure to be fair because Liverpool is a big club,” Henderson added. The Premier League runners-up make a belated return to the Champions League next week, when the midfielder should make his debut in the competition for the visit of Ludogorets on Tuesday.
And Liverpool, who claim they have 580 million followers across the planet, cannot be confined just to England. “I think you know you have an idea of how big the club but I think when you do come in, it’s bigger than you first thought with its fan base,” said Henderson, speaking as the club launch the Liverpool International Fan Survey. “It’s worldwide, it is a huge club.”
And it is one that, while he isn’t ready to admit it yet himself, could be captained by Henderson in the future.
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Supporters can go to www.liverpoolfc.com until October 2 to complete the Liverpool International Fan Survey.
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