Here’s to you, Jordan Henderson

Steven Edwards
Steven Says
Published in
4 min readSep 16, 2014

Jordan Henderson.

Runs from his knees apparently. Could run on his hands for all I care because he runs all day. Runs more than any player I’ve ever seen, that lad. Makes running around a football pitch look like fun. Makes running around look important. Because he makes it important. He makes it vital.

Jordan Henderson.

Covers every blade of grass as if he’s got ‘The Great Big Book of Blades of Grass’ and needs to tick each one off. 3 feet and 5 inches left of the right corner of the 18 yard box. Tick. Covers the grass so that he appears to be everywhere. So that he’s involved in everything. Defending? I’ll have a bit of that. Attacking? I’ll have a bit of that.

Jordan Henderson.

A proper centre midfielder. Old fashioned in his box to box, up and down and all around approach. He want’s to do it all. Because, he can do it all. Well most of it. They don’t make many like that anymore.

Jordan Henderson.

He can play 10 games in 8 days. Brendan said so. He’s powered by batteries and his cousin is the Duracell bunny. Steven Gerrard said so. After the match he goes to the park and plays “3 and in” till it get’s dark. He doesn’t need a rest. Doesn’t know what it is. Mention sleep to him and he looks at you blankly. He’s heard of it, but never done it because he spends all night running around his garden. He’d rather keep quiet and not talk about it, than make an idiot of himself by telling you that he thinks it’s that thing people do after they’ve been to the toilet.

Jordan Henderson.

Did a skills video as a scrawny 16 year old. Google it.

[caption id=”attachment_48" align=”alignnone” width=”196"]

Source: Phil Cole/Getty Images Europe

Source: Phil Cole/Getty Images Europe[/caption]

Jordan Henderson.

Already a leader, England Under 21 Captain. Giving the other lads a telling off. He doesn’t care who you are. He wants you to be better. To try harder. To be more Jordan Henderson. Standing there at corners telling Lovren and Sakho that they need to be on the end of this cos they’re big lads. Cajoling, chivvying, coercing and other words beginning in c and ending in -ing. All in the name of getting maximum effort from the team.

Jordan Henderson.

Great hair that lad. No messing.

[caption id=”attachment_47" align=”alignnone” width=”300"]

Jordan Henderson celebrates after extending Liverpool's lead at White Hart Lane Photo: ACTION IMAGES courtesy of The Telegraph

Source: ACTION IMAGES courtesy of Telegraph.co.uk[/caption]

Jordan Henderson

Celebrating goals. Celebrating all the goals. Like it’s the best thing in the world. Because in football terms, it is. Totally forgetting that he’s being watched by thousands and doing celebratory skips and jumps to celebrate other people’s goals… on more than one occasion. He loves a group hug and although he wont admit it, he’s a little bit in love with Daniel Sturridge.

[caption id=”attachment_50" align=”alignnone” width=”300"]

Source: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images Europe

Source: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images Europe[/caption]

Jordan Henderson.

Offered the chance to go to Fulham. Told Brendan to stuff it. Stayed and fought for a place and became (not the best but) the most important player in the system. Irreplaceable. And anyway, there’s not enough places to run in that London, too many cars. And pigeons. And Fulham are crap.

Jordan Henderson.

Press. Press. Press. Press. Press. Press.

Jordan Henderson.

Losing the bloody coconut shy challenge to Lucas and being told “unlucky” more times than any man should be. Not caring and smiling throughout because he won the centre midfielder challenge. Unlucky.

Jordan Henderson.

Proving that most of the time you just need to give young players a chance. Support them. Nurture them. Teach them. And watch them blossom into mile eating, ground covering machines.

Jordan Hendeson.

Getting suspended for the end of the season. Palace wouldn’t have happened with him in the side. More likely to have won the title with him in the side.

[caption id=”attachment_49" align=”alignnone” width=”221"]

Source: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Europe

Source: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Europe[/caption]

Jordan Henderson.

Always hanging around Steven Gerrard. Don’t worry Stevie, I’ll do your running for you. Does it to be close. Look at the pictures. He’s always next to Gerrard. During the game and in training. Watching, learning, waiting…… He’s after your job Stevie. Not just the armband. Your job. As leader, as talisman, as go to guy, as Brendan’s moral conscience…. as the man at the club. He wants it all.

Jordan Henderson.

Current Vice-Captain. Future Captain.

Here’s to you Jordan Henderson.

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