Jordan Henderson opens up on his ‘dark’ period
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has opened up.
The world of professional sport contains pressure that few of us will experience, and even fewer will understand. Footballers are placed under a unique strain that’s unique to them; which fans can never experience for themselves.
Those of us living in the real world will be faced with a pressure that footballers don’t have, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try and connect with their struggles and appreciate what they can go through.
Imagine going to work while 50,000 people shout and scream and clap your every move, and then after that mainstream media and a thousand blogs and podcasts dissect your performance over the next seven days.
As well as that, Liverpool players must also content and plan for their careers and future. In the case of Jordan Henderson, he was signed from Sunderland for a big fee, had an uncomfortable label as the next Steven Gerrard, and struggled to make an impact in his early days.
Brendan Rodgers wanted to sell Henderson to Fulham, and then his Dad was diagnosed with cancer. Hendo has walked a rocky path to get to the success he’s had, and the midfielder opened up in a brilliant interview with the Guardian.
Donald McRae spoke to our skipper about the bad moments in his career and how it made him stronger. The picture of Henderson and his dad embracing after Liverpool won the Champions League was so moving, and the interview goes into illuminating detail about it all.
More from Rush The Kop
- Set to return, Virgil Van Dijk facing heavy criticism back home
- Liverpool making late comebacks all the rage once again
- Wolves tilt gives Klopp opportunity to tinker with lineup following international duty
- Players to watch in the matchup with Wolves
- Predicting Liverpool’s Next Five Premier League Fixtures
"“I was in a very dark place at that time.” – said Henderson about the Fulham move.“I didn’t see him for at least five months because he didn’t want to see us when he was having treatment. I kept my head down, kept playing, because I knew him watching and us winning could help.” – Henderson on his Dad’s diagnosis.“That game was a little turning point. Even though I performed well before that, I felt that was the start of playing in a slightly different position.” – Henderson on what the Champions League final meant for him.“He’s very high-risk and has to be careful. When the [first] lockdown eased a little I got a moment to see him and maybe once or twice after that. It’s not much but my dad’s in good spirits.” – Henderson on the first lockdown and how it’s impacted his Dad."
A Premier League victory topped it all off, and now Henderson has finally started to be recognized by the press and his peers. We know the skipper is a fine player, who can contribute in a number of different ways.
Next. The top 5 Liverpool goals from 2020 – Trent the best?. dark
Whether he’s a holding midfielder or given more license to move forward, we should be glad Henderson managed to move past his ‘dark place’ and breakthrough into the light.