Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson once publicly criticised Jordan Henderson for his running style. The iconic Red Devils manager had been monitoring the then-emerging talent during his time at Sunderland, contemplating a potential signing. However, after dispatching scouts to observe Henderson in action, Ferguson decided against the move after claiming that Henderson “runs from his knees”.
In his autobiography, Ferguson candidly wrote: “We looked at Jordan Henderson a lot and Steve Bruce was unfailingly enthusiastic about him. Against that we noticed that Henderson runs from his knees, with a straight back, while the modern footballer runs from his hips. We thought his gait might cause him problems later in his career.”
United’s loss turned out to be Liverpool’s gain as, in 2011, a 20-year-old Henderson made the switch to Anfield for a fee of around £20million. He featured in 37 Premier League matches in his debut season under Sir Kenny Dalglish and nearly clinched the title in 2013/14 under Brendan Rodgers.
Henderson, now plying his trade at Brentford, later responded to Ferguson’s remarks, stating: “What was written in the book never bothered me.
To be honest, I looked upon it as a compliment that I got a mention. The fact Alex Ferguson was watching me at some stage must have meant I was doing something right.
“I was never aware of any interest from United and I’m happy with how things worked out. I’m enjoying my football and we’re progressing well as a team. I never felt as if I had a point to prove really except maybe to myself and to Liverpool Football Club in terms of improving as a player.”
However, Rodgers took umbrage at the Scot’s comments, stating: “I think if Sir Alex ever bumps into Jordan he might want to apologise for that.
“The comment surprised me, I have to be honest, coming from someone with such status in the game. Maybe it was meant as flippant but to a young player making his way in the game it could be damaging
very player is different, and every player at this club has had his strengths and weaknesses medically assessed. The statement in terms of Jordan was inappropriate.”
Henderson responded in the best possible manner, through his performances on the pitch. He was named captain of Liverpool in the summer of 2015, just before Jurgen Klopp’s arrival a few months later.
He played a pivotal role in Klopp’s revolution on Merseyside as the team became increasingly competitive, reaching the Champions League final in 2017/18 and lifting the trophy a year later.
Henderson also featured in 30 league matches in 2019/20 as Liverpool comfortably clinched their first-ever Premier League trophy, which they lifted when the season resumed amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The England midfielder clocked up a total of 492 appearances for the Reds, netting 33 goals and providing 58 assists, figures that only scratch the surface of his immense contribution both on and off the field.
In a surprising move, he left Liverpool in 2023 to join Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq project in Saudi Arabia, believing his chances at Anfield under Klopp would be limited in the upcoming season.
Henderson’s two former clubs, Liverpool and Sunderland, are set to clash in the Premier League on Wednesday night at Anfield. His childhood team, Sunderland, have kicked off the season in spectacular fashion, currently sitting sixth in the table in their first season back in the top tier.
Defending champions Liverpool, on the other hand, trail by one point after a dismal run of form, which was finally halted with a 2-0 victory over West Ham at the weekend.
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