Liverpool fans were all left asking the same question throughout Jurgen Klopp’s elongated goodbye to the club. Just where was Jordan Henderson?
Of course, being a former player, there’s no obligation or guarantee for Henderson to be involved in anything to do with his old club.
However, having been captain for all but the last year of Klopp’s reign as Liverpool manager, it felt strange not to see him take part in tributes. Having snuck out of the Anfield exit door last summer, it didn’t seem quite right.
The biggest evidence of this came when Sky Sports released a near-20 minute long goodbye video for Klopp. There were appearances from former players such as Steven Gerrard – who recalled once being given a team talk by Klopp – and Adam Lallana, who thanked his old boss for taking away his anxiety.
Jamie Carragher was another to feature, and the Liverpool legend has now cleared up exactly why Henderson was not involved.
Jamie Carragher explains Jordan Henderson situation
It has been a really, really poor season for Henderson. Having now been left out of the England squad for Euro 2024, his decision to leave Liverpool looks worse by the day.
And let’s be clear, it was Henderson’s decision to go. The former captain has claimed that Liverpool made no attempt to keep him, but Klopp was clearly planning to have him around in 2023/24.
Those words from Henderson has led to a feeling that all was not particularly right between he and Klopp. But speaking to The Overlap, Carragher has now claimed that there was another reason for the 33-year-old’s no-show.
“I spoke to Jordan about two or three weeks ago, on the text,” says the pundit. “And it was about putting something together for Klopp for Sky Sports. You see the piece that went out. I could tell he wasn’t himself.
“People have made a big deal about when they have watched it saying why isn’t Jordan Henderson on it, but it was through me,” Carragher added. “I could get the feeling that he was like I’m not speaking to the press over here. I don’t know what the performance and results have been like for Ajax, I know it’s not been a great season for Ajax. I think there was an interview where a Dutch guy really put it on him. I didn’t push him too much on whether we could organise the interview.
“Do you know what, he’s had a lot of stick over the last few months, and some people might think rightly so with the move to Saudi and going to Ajax. I feel a little bit for Jordan because I don’t think he deserves it. You know him and I know him personally, Jordan is a great footballer, but there is less great footballers who are proper men. And he for me is a proper [man]. He’s a good lad.”
What next for Jordan Henderson?
You do have to feel for Henderson. He made a monumental error in judgement by leaving Liverpool for Saudi Arabia last year and he’s really paying for it.
Had he stayed at Liverpool, the midfielder would have had a big part to play this season. He’d also have had the chance to see Klopp off in the right manner.
Instead, he’s now languishing at Ajax who have endured an historically bad campaign.
Out of the England squad and with his reputation at Liverpool quite severely tarnished, it looks like the end for Henderson. In our opinion, a move back home would be the best idea for Hendo now. Maybe all the way home to Sunderland.
No one at Liverpool will take any pleasure from seeing their legendary former skipper in such dire straits. Henderson really should have been front and centre in all of this. Such a shame.