Jordan Henderson – CaughtOffside

Collymore: “Mercenary and irrelevant” – Players slammed for heading to “gimmick” Saudi Pro League

Jason Pettigrove — Fri, 31 May 2024 10:30:00 +0000

As the summer transfer window comes up over the horizon, it’s a safe enough bet that the Saudi Pro League will be major players in the marketplace.

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Five years ago, the emerging league wouldn’t have concerned any European clubs or their players, but the sheer amount of money that they have available to throw at the very best players that the Premier League, La Liga, Ligue Un, Serie A and the Bundesliga have to offer means that everyone will sit up and take notice.

Despite some big names having moved to the Middle East, most notably Cristiano Ronaldo, the league is still taking time to get a real foothold.

Stan Collymore doesn’t believe the Saudi Pro League will ever be relevant

With one eye on the 2030 World Cup, there’s a clear move from the Gulf state to get all eyes on the Pro League, but that will require more high profile players to drop what they’re doing in Europe and move to a much less competitive environment.

CaughtOffside columnist, Stan Collymore, just doesn’t see it happening.

“I’m 50 and I can’t ever see in my lifetime that the Saudi Pro League will be thought of as a top five global league and the reasons are really quite simple. England, Spain, Italy, France, Germany… 100 plus year-old leagues, legacy leagues that really mean something,” he said for his exclusive column.

“Secondly, all those leagues are very rich in their own right. Companies aren’t bailing on the Premier League or La Liga to go and sponsor the Saudi League, which will be propped up by Saudi money from Saudi companies.

“And thirdly, dare I say the culture that you’ve seen. Muslim players go out there because obviously it’s something they know, but you’ve also seen players that go out there, dip their toe in and are back in no time at all. Likewise, managers. Nuno Espirito Santo, Jordan Henderson…. So for me, I just think it’s going to continue being a gimmick.

Despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s praise, Stan Collymore says the Saudi Pro League is a gimmick

“Boxing will be there for the next 20 years, but people aren’t going to go there and watch boxing in the same way that they would if they were at Madison Square Garden or some of the great venues.

“The Saudi’s will continue to build it up, but I just think it’s all about location and the cultural aspect. They will always get tournaments – like Qatar had the World Cup and Dubai gets the tennis – but people still want to go to Wimbledon, people still want to go to an Olympics in Paris, people still want to go to Wembley Stadium for that football experience or to watch Madrid in the Bernabeu.

“It’s like the MLS was and like the A League in Australia was for two or three years, and it’s a bit of a top up for the pension.

“No disrespect to Cristiano Ronaldo, whose 35 goals is a remarkable achievement even if he was doing that at his age in Sunday league football, but I can’t cannot see a time where European footballers head to Saudi Arabia to give the best years of their life.

“Kylian Mbappe was effectively offered billions to go and he didn’t choose it because he knew that he could get paid very handsomely in Europe and be relevant.

“When you go to Saudi you’re seen as two things; a mercenary and irrelevant.”

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Strong words from the former Premier League ace, though it would be hard to disagree with any aspect of his argument.

Clearly, the money is an attraction, however, players can earn more than they’ll ever spend by staying in Europe and playing for some of the most historic and storied clubs on the planet.

No one is really going to talk about a player in future in worshipful tones if he spent the majority of his career in Saudi Arabia, with the greatest of respect.

Cristiano Ronaldo might continue to sing its praises, but that’s only because no clubs in Europe wanted him, and for the amount of money he’s being paid, he can’t really say much else can he.

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Gareth Southgate springs massive surprise as he names provisional England Euro 2024 squad

Jason Pettigrove — Tue, 21 May 2024 10:20:28 +0000

The pressure will all be on Gareth Southgate to finally produce an England squad capable of winning a major tournament this summer.

The Three Lions can oh so close in the previous edition of the European Championship, losing on penalties to Italy in the final.

Southgate had also managed to get England to the semi-finals of the World Cup back in 2018, and despite being comfortable against Croatia, they ran out of steam and were eventually beaten.

Therefore, if he wants to go one better than before, he has got to get things spot on in terms of squad selection.

Gareth Southgate drops Jordan Henderson

According to The Athletic (subscription required), ahead of the official announcement, Southgate has already sprung one massive surprise which will almost certainly get tongues wagging.

A player that epitomises all of the qualities that the manager expects from his players is Ajax ace, Jordan Henderson.

Jordan Henderson has been left out of the provisional England squad for Euro 2024 by Gareth Southgate

The former Liverpool captain is a calm, experienced head in the midfield and a warrior when required, but it seems that his failed move to Saudi Arabia and subsequent inability to help Ajax towards the upper echelons of the Eredivisie – they finished 35 points behind title winners PSV – has cost him his place. His age, 33, will undoubtedly have also counted against him.

The outlet also note that his former club colleague, Curtis Jones, is likely to get a first senior call-up, indicating just how much his star has risen over the past 12-18 months.

There’s sure to be a handful of other surprises when the official announcement comes, not forgetting of course that this is just a provisional squad and more players will need to drop out before the final 26 players are named.

If England go on to do well in the tournament, no one will bat an eyelid, however, if the Three Lions exit the tournament earlier than expected, Southgate will have some explaining to do.

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Pundit outlines key reasons behind Liverpool Premier League title ‘failure’

CJ — Mon, 20 May 2024 13:43:50 +0000

Garth Crooks has outlined the reasons why he believes Liverpool failed to win the 2023/24 Premier League title.

The Reds were involved in a three-way battle alongside Manchester City and Arsenal and even topped the table for 12 of 15 weeks between matchdays 16 and 31.

After winning the EFL Cup in February it looked like Liverpool could win a quadruple. However, a run of just three wins from their final eight league games saw them drop out of the title race to finish third behind Arsenal and eventual winners City.

Liverpool exited the FA Cup with a defeat to Manchester United in March, before they also crashed out of the Europa League with a 3-1 aggregate loss to Atalanta in the quarter-finals in April, meaning they had to settle for only one trophy.

Klopp announcement to blame for Liverpool’s title ‘failure’?

Liverpool’s dip came after manager Jurgen Klopp had already announced his decision to step down at the end of the season back in January.

?? #DankeJürgen ?? pic.twitter.com/Ldh6IFPa6U

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 19, 2024

Explaining his selection of Virgil van Dijk in his BBC Team of the Season, Crooks stated his belief that Klopp’s announcement was a ‘factor’ in Liverpool’s ‘failure’ to win the title, alongside losing experienced leaders such as Jordan Henderson and James Milner in the summer.

“To have selected only one Liverpool player for my team says it all really,” wrote Crooks. “Liverpool have not only let the title slip from their grasp, they have shown signs that the pressure was starting to get to them.

“The departure of James Milner and Jordan Henderson cannot be quantified, but it was left to Virgil van Dijk to hold it all together. Gone are the days when the team used to pick itself. Neither can we be sure what impact the timing of Jurgen Klopp’s announcement, that he was leaving Anfield at the end of the season, had on the players.

“All of these were factors of Liverpool’s title failure, but they are back in the Champions League – and who can forget that heroic performance by Van Dijk in the League Cup final against Chelsea?”

Liverpool beat Wolves 2-0 at Anfield in Klopp’s final game in charge, with the club now preparing for life under Arne Slot, who will join from Dutch giants Feyenoord this summer.

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Jordan Henderson’s future at Ajax is now in doubt

Mehdi Gokal — Sat, 11 May 2024 19:50:50 +0000

Liverpool legend Jordan Henderson’s future at Ajax hangs in the balance just six months after joining the Dutch club.

The English midfielder made a high-profile move to Ajax in January, signing a two-and-a-half-year contract after departing from Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq.

Despite initially being named captain at Ajax, Henderson’s tenure with the Eredivisie side could be short-lived.

Recent developments suggest that Ajax’s failure to secure qualification for next season’s Champions League, coupled with the potential risk of missing out on the Europa League, has placed financial strain on the club.

The Athletic reports that Ajax may be forced to offload some of their highest earners, including Henderson, to alleviate their financial burdens.

Although the club is reluctant to part ways with key assets, the financial implications of their situation may necessitate tough decisions.

Exclusive: “The big question is…” – Jon Smith considers England squad surprises

Jason Pettigrove — Fri, 10 May 2024 20:54:08 +0000

In a few short weeks time, England will kick off their European Championship in Germany with a Group C fixture against Serbia.

That doesn’t give Gareth Southgate much time within which to make a firm decision on who he wishes to take to the tournament, in the hope that they’ll help the Three Lions to go one better than last time.

There are certain players that will be the first on the team sheet, injuries permitting.

The likes of Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are certainties to go along with a handful of other names.

Solanke could be England’s wild card at the Euros

However, as former super agent and co-creator of the Premier League, Jon Smith, has speculated, there’s still a chance for one or two players to make a case for inclusion.

“I like Dominic Solanke at Bournemouth, he’s just cracking on, and in the world of Gareth Southgate he might just get a shot,” he said to CaughtOffside for his exclusive column.

“I think Maddison will go to the Euros, I think Mainoo will go and I like the two boys at Palace, Eze and Guehi.

“The big question for me is whether Jordan Henderson goes.

“With some of the younger lads in there, they’ll need one of the stable heads to just calm everybody down in those really tense moments when we’re heading towards a semi-final penalty shootout!”

Dominic Solanke could be a surprise inclusion for England this summer

The choice of Solanke is a particularly interesting one.

At one point earlier in the season it was felt that Brentford’s Ivan Toney would be taking up a seat on the plane, however, he’s gone so far off the boil that it wouldn’t really be a surprise to see him left at home.

Were that precise scenario to occur, then it does open up the possibility of Solanke getting in at the 11th hour.

Whether he’s ‘international class’ would only be seen if he was thrust into the big time by Southgate, and he does the business.

His form in 2023/24 has been sensational, and if he could carry that onto the international stage, then England will have an unexpected ace up their sleeve.

Southgate has shown his bravery before and in general terms has been true to his original thinking that he would pick players based on form rather than reputation.

It will be interesting indeed to see who makes the final squad.

The post Exclusive: “The big question is…” – Jon Smith considers England squad surprises appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Agent’s column: Rice one of Arsenal’s best ever, Man United could stick with ten Hag, Real Madrid to win UCL and more

Jon Smith — Fri, 10 May 2024 16:58:52 +0000

In his fortnightly exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Jon Smith, one of football’s first-ever agents and a man who was an integral figure in the forming of the Premier League, discusses why Real Madrid will win the Champions League, why Declan Rice has been one of Arsenal’s best-ever signings, why Man United could stick with Erik ten Hag – and more!

—

Real Madrid to win ‘their’ Champions League… again

It’s probably going to be Real Madrid that win the Champions League final because it’s sort of in their DNA. This is their competition and it’s almost like General Franco organised it!

There were teams that used to turn up at Anfield years ago and they’d walk onto the pitch past the ‘Welcome to Anfield’ sign which was there to intimidate them.

I think the Champions League is there to intimidate every other team apart from Real Madrid. It’s quite bizarre, isn’t it?

For example, they were halfway through the second half of their semi-final against Bayern and their legs completely went – and yet they still ended up winning it.

Thibaut Courtois with the Champions League trophy

They always find a way, don’t they?

I am a huge fan of what’s happened at Dortmund this year mind you, and I’d like to see Dortmund win because I think they kind of deserve it this year. They’ve done so well.

However, I’m struggling to see past Real Madrid on this occasion.

You know if it was Real Madrid vs Dortmund in a league over the course of time, I’d back Dortmund, but in a one-off game and considering the size of the occasion… my heart and head combined tell me that it’s probably gonna be Real Madrid.

Declan Rice has been one of Arsenal’s best-ever signings

Arsenal’s Declan Rice

I think not only is Declan Rice a great talent, but he’s brought the ability to encourage the players around him to do better in themselves.

Firstly, because he comes with a big £100m tag and he’s kept his head down and been a gentleman on and off the field, and I think that’s a bit inspirational.

Inspirational players are the best players to have on your team as well as talented ones, and he is both.

He’s just got on with the job, played really well, and the £100m price tag is irrelevant now which shows how successful he’s been.

No go for 777 at Everton, but all hope is not lost for the Toffees

777 Partners have got a lot of baggage that seems to be crystallising in all the wrong places and at the wrong time.

That is now beginning to infiltrate the thinking of people who need to be on side with them, such as the Premier League, and this would indicate that this is a problematic position for them to continue to progress.

Interestingly enough, the Everton supporters have possibly handed them a way out because at the recent AGM fans voiced their concerns regarding 777.

That could be the kicker for 777 to say ‘look, supporters don’t want us now, obviously they’re the heartbeat of the club and so we will no longer be there.’

MSP Sports Capital are a company that seems to be circling Everton at the moment and there will be others. I’m aware of the numbers by the way, and they are huge; into eight/nine figures, and I think there’s going to have to be a lot of potential Russian write offs to get the right owners in place.

Everton won’t go down. Had they gone down I think they would’ve had to go into administration which, in a bizarre way, might have been the best solution. Don’t try telling that to someone who’s got blue in their veins though.

They’re a wonderful club with a great history, good players and good support and I’m going to stick my neck out and say that I think it’s unlikely that the 777 takeover will happen now.

Everton are big enough to attract huge money so if I was Moshiri, I’d do what I do very well at the moment and that’s do nothing at all because I think there’s going to be more interest from other parties.

Cogent reasons for Man United to stick with ten Hag

It becomes evident that there’s a lot of take away from what’s going on at Man United at the moment under the new regime.

Staff who were previously working from home some of the time are encouraged not to do that because they might not have a job. There’s people that were working on three day weeks now working five day weeks because they might not have a job….

There’s obviously some financial rationale going on there and if I’m Sir Jim Ratcliffe, I’m looking at the managerial situation with the first-team and thinking ‘okay, where do we go with this appointment? It has to be superb and I’m looking around looking for Mr. Superb and I’m struggling to find him.’

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Erik ten Hag

Then, given that it’s going to cost a lot of money to get rid of Erik ten Hag and reinvest in the squad anyway, it’s tempting to believe that Sir Jim could quite possibly decide to work with the Dutchman because he knows the team and he knows the squad.

If, in a few months time, he still can’t do it, then United will regroup again. After all, the development of the squad is going to take 4-5 years regardless.

There’s a European Championship coming up of course, and there may be better managers leaving their posts around then, as well as younger managers coming through.

The Roberto De Zerbi’s of this world will be getting their brownie points, but there’s not enough choice out there.

There is, evidently in my head, a school of thought where ten Hag stays and United start rebuilding under him. In three months time something could change as other opportunities could emerge and other managers may become available.

We have to wait and see what happens in the Euros but I could understand why United would keep hold of ten Hag.

Solanke might just get a seat on the plane with England

Dominic Solanke could be a surprise inclusion for England this summer

I like Dominic Solanke at Bournemouth, he’s just cracking on, and in the world of Gareth Southgate he might just get a shot.

I think Maddison will go to the Euros, I think Mainoo will go and I like the two boys at Palace, Eze and Guehi.

The big question for me is whether Jordan Henderson goes.

With some of the younger lads in there, they’ll need one of the stable heads to just calm everybody down in those really tense moments when we’re heading towards a semi-final penalty shootout!

The post Agent’s column: Rice one of Arsenal’s best ever, Man United could stick with ten Hag, Real Madrid to win UCL and more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Title winner who had epitomised Klopp’s time at Liverpool doesn’t regret Anfield exit

Jason Pettigrove — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 20:53:17 +0000

This summer will see Jurgen Klopp leave Anfield for the final time, his nine-year tenure at Liverpool over.

It’s sure to be a gut-wrenching moment for the German coach, his backroom staff, players and supporters.

Klopp has put the Reds back on the map domestically and in Europe, ensuring his teams have been playing a brilliant brand of attacking football and with a smile on their faces.

One player that epitomised his manager’s outlook and delivered consistent high-quality performances was his captain for a large part of his tenure, Jordan Henderson.

Now plying his trade at Ajax, ‘Hendo’ will forever be associated with Liverpool’s first English top-flight title in three decades – their first-ever Premier League title – as well as the helping to mastermind the sensational Champions League comeback against Barcelona.

Though he may have left the club for the riches of Saudi Arabia – a move that didn’t ultimately work out – when he could quite easily have stayed at Anfield, he has no regrets.

Jordan Henderson doesn’t regret Liverpool exit

“Looking back I think it was the right time for me as a player but also for them as a team and for them as a club, as much as that hurt at the time,” he was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

“I was very emotional. Looking back at that period of time now, it is 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.”

Ajax’s Jordan Henderson doesn’t regret leaving Liverpool. (Photo by Remko de Waal / ANP / AFP) / Netherlands OUT

Whether Ajax go on to win anything this season or not, the Dutch giants can be assured that in Henderson, they have a player who will always give them 100 percent.

Just ask Liverpol.

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Exclusive: Liverpool feel they’ve done “excellent job” with this area of transfer recruitment, says expert

Mark Brus — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:32:56 +0000

Liverpool feel they have done an excellent job with their midfield recruitment in last summer’s transfer window as they rebuilt with four new signings in that area of their squad.

That’s according to transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano, with the journalist explaining that the Reds feel they got a bargain with Alexis Mac Allister in particular, while they also rate Ryan Gravenberch as a top young talent who can reach the highest level in the future.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest Daily Briefing column, Romano explained that he was really impressed with how Liverpool dealt with this difficult time when it was vital for them to get their recruitment right.

Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all left LFC last summer and it was never likely to be easy completely rebuilding that area of Jurgen Klopp’s squad.

Alexis Mac Allister has proven a superb signing for Liverpool

Still, Mac Allister has been brilliant for Liverpool, while the likes of Gravenberch, Wataru Endo and Dominik Szoboszlai also look like smart additions, all joining without the club needing to spend a fortune.

Liverpool transfer business praised by Romano

“Klopp had to completely rebuild his midfield this season as five players – Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner – all left the club,” Romano said.

“Four new signings came in, with Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch all joining and looking now like fine business by Liverpool.

Video: Insane desire from Jordan Henderson as he chases 50-yard lost cause

Jason Pettigrove — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 10:55:40 +0000

Jordan Henderson always led by example when he was at Liverpool, and he’s clearly lost none of his competitive spirit now he’s at Ajax.

The Dutch giants took advantage of Henderson’s unhappiness in Saudi Arabia to bring him back to Europe and if the way he chased down a lost cause in a recent game is anything to go by, he’ll be dragging his colleagues up and along with him.

A kick out from the Ajax keeper seemed to sail aimlessly down to the other end of the pitch, and as his colleagues stood and watched, Henderson hared 50 yards after it and forced the opposition keeper into an error – which was celebrated wildly by the former Red.

Look at the passion from Jordan Henderson ??pic.twitter.com/AyZX76H4pu

— SPORTbible (@sportbible) March 4, 2024

Pictures from AFC Ajax

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UEFA Europa Conference League Round of 16 draw: Aston Villa get Ajax test in tie of the round

Jason Pettigrove — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 12:26:48 +0000

Ajax were taken to extra-time by Bodo/Glimt in their play-off second-leg in the Europa Conference League but managed to squeeze through and will face Premier League opponents in the shape of Aston Villa in the Round of 16.

That means a chance for Jordan Henderson to once again experience a competitive game at a Premier League ground after he joined the Dutch giants in the winter transfer window.

Jordan Henderson’s Ajax side were drawn against Aston Villa in the Europa Conference League. (Photo by Remko de Waal / ANP / AFP)

Spanish side, Real Betis, were held to a draw by Dinamo Zagreb and ended up going out of the competition at the play-off stage owing to Zagreb’s first-leg victory.

The Croatians have been given a knockout tie against POAK as their ‘reward.’

Other notable wins from the play-off round of matches were Union Saint-Gilloise’s aggregate victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, Molde’s comprehensive humbling of Legia Warsaw and Olympiacos’ slender win over Hungarian greats, Ferencvaros.

The trio of winners were paired with Fenerbahce, Club Brugge and Maccabi Tel Aviv respectively.

FULL UEFA Europa Conference League Round of 16 Draw – Ties to be played on March 7 and 14

Servette vs Viktoria Plzen

Ajax vs Aston Villa

Molde vs Club Brugge

Union Saint-Gilloise vs Fenerbahce

Dinamo Zagreb vs PAOK

Sturm Graz vs Lille

Maccabi Haifa vs Fiorentina

Olympiacos vs Maccabi Tel Aviv

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