Jordan Henderson has backed his ‘brothers’ to make Liverpool history this season after insisting he has no regrets about leaving last summer.
The Englishman is now at Ajax after a brief spell with Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League, following his departure from Anfield in July.
Henderson also revealed that he had remained in contact with outgoing Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and had not been entirely surprised by his departure. While Henderson’s Ajax face Aston Villa in the Europa Conference League on Thursday, Liverpool are chasing the Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League after winning the Carabao Cup in February.
Henderson said: “I was captain for a long time there and the whole team still feels like my brothers.” Seeing them do so well makes me very proud of how they are doing and I really want to see them finish the season like they have been playing all year.
“With the young players coming in, let’s hope they can win the season big and win as many trophies as possible.”
Jordan Henderson has backed his Liverpool ‘brothers’ to make history in the remainder of the season
The midfielder revealed that he does not regret leaving the club and remains in contact with coach Jurgen Klopp (center)
He won several trophies at the club and captained the team for several years.
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Henderson could be forgiven for feeling a touch of regret about Liverpool’s performances. On top of the £700,000-a-week salary on offer in the Saudi Pro League, Henderson was reluctant to become a teammate at Anfield.
However, he left Saudi Arabia after just six months to return to Europe and signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Ajax. Liverpool’s usual injury problems meant that Henderson would surely have played more often than he or Klopp would have anticipated before the season started.
Although Henderson revealed that Klopp’s decision had been difficult to make, he now believes it was the right one. “It was the right time for me as a player, but also for them as a team and as a club, no matter how much it hurt me at the time,” he explained.
He left Al-Ettifaq after six months, breaking his £700,000-a-week contract in Saudi Arabia.
Henderson praised Virgil van Dijk (left) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (right), who served as captain and vice-captain.
‘I was very excited. Looking back at that period of time, looking back now, it’s easy to see that it was the right decision made by the manager and the club. It was the best decision to freshen things up. If you look at Virgil van Dijk becoming captain, Trent Alexander-Arnold becoming vice-captain and how they have stepped up again this season, I think it has given them another boost.
“They have been two great players for the team this season. I think it was the best for the club and the team and that can be seen in the performances and how they have done it, as much as that hurts me.
‘It’s football and we have to move on. I’m very happy that it’s worked out for them so far and I’m crossing my fingers that it can be a fairytale ending for Jurgen because he deserves it.’
Few expected that just six months after Henderson’s departure, Klopp would also announce his departure. The German will retire after almost nine years in charge to take a break from football, after winning eight trophies at Anfield.
The midfielder said he was not surprised by Klopp’s decision to step down as Liverpool manager.
Henderson has kept in touch with Klopp since he left and while most in football were shocked that the former Borussia Dortmund boss resigned, Henderson was not among them.
And he added: ‘I have spoken to him a little. When I found out, it was quite shocking news for everyone. But at the same time, I probably wasn’t as surprised as everyone else because he’s been there for a long time and the passion and excitement he brings to the teams and the club, doing that for a long time must get tiring.
“It will give him an extra boost of energy until the end of the season, we have already seen that and also from the players.” Hopefully that will allow them to win some trophies in the coming months.”
