How Jordan Henderson became the Premier League's 'captain of captains'

Before he had made his first-team debut at Sunderland, there were signs of leadership from Jordan Henderson as he organised and coordinated his friends during his early days at the Academy of Light.

It may have only been a bit of after-training fun, but Kevin Ball, his lead coach, was impressed when Henderson sent him footage of what had been filmed.

“They sent me a YouTube clip of his mates doing a video,” Ball said. “One would be over the other side of a wall and he’s controlled it and does a piece of skill, then it would be clipped to another friend.

“It was pure fun and I saw someone who loved playing football. It was choreography to the N’th degree. The amount of effort that went in was what impressed me. I thought ‘he’s really thought about it’ rather than how they controlled the ball.”

Ball says the making of Liverpool’s captain was developed in those early years at Sunderland, where he was close to being released as a teenager but never looked back after he stayed on.

During the lockdown for the pandemic, he contacted his fellow Premier League captains to organise a fund to raise money for the NHS. Then, in football’s next moment of crisis, he rallied them again to fight against the European Super League breakaway.

His post to Twitter was one of the turning points of the 48-hour farce, when he stated: “We don’t like it and we don’t want it to happen.” There was no hinting at concern over the proposals. This was one of the captains from the six breakaway clubs saying the players were against it.

“This is our collective position. Our commitment to this football club and its supporters is absolute and unconditional.” From those early days at Sunderland, his leadership qualities were honed after his move to Liverpool almost 10 years ago. He was training with Steven Gerrard and just listened and learned.

“Jordan would definitely had leadership values but I definitely think once he left Sunderland, I know he admired Steven Gerrard from when he was at Sunderland,” said David Meyler, his best friend, who played for Hull City and Reading after Sunderland.

Watch: 5 Minute Home Core Workout Without Equipment | Move At Home

“Then when you were working with him daily, he would be studying him more closely. The way he trained, the way he conducted himself and the way he went about his business. Gradually, year-on-year, he has got better as a captain.

“With the NHS fund, that is the type of person he is. He has a kind heart. He’s organised. It would have been hard to get the captains together but he wants to go the extra mile.”

That Liverpool dressing room had a big influence on Henderson. There were big characters such as Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Luis Suarez, while Glen Johnson had won trophies before arriving from Chelsea.

His standing now in the Premier League is that of one of the most influential figures among players. Marcus Rashford’s campaigning has made the biggest impact away from football, while Henderson is the captain among captains.

At England, he is part of the leadership group in Gareth Southgate’s squad and he has been given every opportunity to recover from adductor surgery to make the European Championships this summer.

His actions off the pitch have not been a surprise to those who have worked with him. “I saw with other players that he was a very humble and caring lad,” said Ball. “Maybe with lads who weren’t as fortunate as himself. He made sure his team-mates were looked after. That’s easy to say with how his career developed and what he’s done recently but I saw it as I was his lead coach.

“He would challenge me and argue with me in the most respectful way, over training or set-plays. He was part of a group of lads where, as a coach you could start it and they would finish it.”

Agents fear revenge from owners in future player contract talks

By Mike McGrath

Agents fear a backlash from European Super League club owners when players negotiate deals, following their dreams of a breakaway getting crushed.

Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham and Arsenal all signed up for the rebel competition and some of their own squads played a part in them pulling out two days later.

Players at the “Big Six” will now be asking for payrises after opposing the plans for their club to join a lucrative competition where they would have been exempt from relegation and always guaranteed to be among the elite.

Liverpool have the most imminent contract issues to deal with. None of the title-winning team from last season have signed fresh terms since lifting the Premier League trophy.

James Milner, who was among the first to speak out over ESL, has a year left on his current deal and key players such Jordan Henderson, Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino are approaching their final two seasons.

At Manchester City, they have just agreed terms with Kevin De Bruyne but Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden are in their in-tray of new deals to sort. Manchester United, meanwhile, have Paul Pogba getting close to 12 months away from being a free agent and are talking with Eric Bailly over an extension.

Bruno Fernandes was the first player from the ESL clubs to break ranks and show his support to the Champions League which United wanted to break away from. He posted on his social-media platforms that “dreams can’t be bought”.

Luke Shaw later followed on Twitter, while De Bruyne made his feelings clear when it became clear City were going to pull out of the plans. On Monday, players had been holding meetings with their clubs over why they chose to broke away and were told to be ready to play as early as next season.

Intermediaries were checking the details of playing contracts when news emerged of ESL, which could have seen players banned from participating in internationals. It was found that players were tied to their clubs, rather than the competitions, meaning they would have been forced to play.

Agents were anticipating a summer transfer window where players would be swapped because of a shortage of money following the Covid-19 pandemic and matches still largely being played behind closed doors, with the ESL adding extra complications.

Watch: 6 Minute Full Body Strength Workout | Move At Home