At the end of the day, Liverpool bought Jordan Henderson for the long term. Both Kenny Dalglish and Damien Comolli saw something in the 21 year old which made them believe that spending upwards of £20million for the player was a good long term investment. Going by some people’s reactions to Henderson’s performances in the U21 Championships, you would be forgiven for thinking we had just spent a fortune on a complete dud.
Although it is from a small minority, complaining about a player’s performance after watching him for three games in a side managed by Stuart Pearce is not the best way to assess the talents of a player. I think most, like me, will hold judgement at least until the end of next season, to see how Jordan has progressed as a player.
Some of the frustration surrounding the transfer is of course the belief that we overspent, and that the money could have been put to better use on an older, proven foreign talent. Understandably there is a desire for immediate success after the trials and tribulations of the previous ownership, as well as the fact the Reds have gone 20 years without winning the league.
There is an understandable fear that now that we actually do have money, nobody wants to see us waste it on players who are not worthy of their valuation. Overpriced English players has been the theme of many a fan’s argument so far this window, and a few will pounce on the opportunity when things don’t go so well for players such as Henderson.
Immediate success maybe in many fans’ minds when they think up their list of transfer targets this summer, but for FSG , Dalglish and Comolli, a long term legacy is what is being focused on. Dalglish is trying to mould a team in his own style. For Reds fans bringing the likes of Aguero, Mata etc should be Liverpool ’s goal but Dalglish has his own way of doing things. Both Comolli and FSG know that Dalglish will command a great deal of loyalty and to make sure this project is developed for long term goals; Kenny looks to be the ideal man to carry it out with fewer dissenters and doubters surrounding Anfield.
In regards to Henderson, he is nowhere near the finished article. It is unfair to judge him on three games playing alongside Mancienne, Muamba and Welbeck rather than alongside Lucas, Gerrard and Suarez. His interaction with team mates will be totally different at club level, and he will be able to develop his game, while having greater time to get a greater understanding with his team mates.
In addition he will have Kenny Dalglish as his manager. Someone who can guide him to being a better player. He has all the attributes to do it and is certainly a Dalglish player with his passing ability and energy. Dalglish, Clarke, and the quality of players at Liverpool will make Henderson a better player, and if Kenny is any judge of a player, we will certainly have a great star in the making in the next 3 to 5 years.
Read more of David Tully’s articles at Live4Liverpool
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.
To have a peak at the top SEVEN available FREE TRANSFERS this summer, click here.
Or to have a look at 10 ways a football lover can spend this summer, click here!
we can’t say the £20m could have been prioritised better unless we know how much is in the kitty! i’m sure kenny does! let’s just wait and see who else comes through the anfield door when Lfc’s other targets get back from their hols.
It is all very well to keep up a cry of “building for the future”, but it is very necessary for the club to at least finish in the top 4 and make the CL this coming season, financially, to carry the fans and to be able to attract better players in future.
Everyone knows that we need 4 – 5 TOP CLASS players to fit straight in to the 1st team and fill positions we MUST fill (e.g. LB, 2 wingers, CB. Buying another central midfielder for the future is not exactly a priority UNLESS there is enough money available to do both. IF NOT, we must look to this year first as there may not be much a future left for us!
Remember, over the last 3 years our squad has slowly become insufficient and we need to rebuild, but all the time the opposition are not staying as it was and are also spending money and strengthening their squads. We not only have to compare our squad to the squads of MU, Chelsea, Arsenal, MCity, Spurs, whom we were behind, but also who they are now bringing in. We are playing catch up, but the opposition is not staying as is and waiting for us to do so!!!
henderson and downing ? v jones and young – we needed a top centre half and a winger, utd got them, we get 2 midfielders to go with the 6 we already have. ?????
there’s a while left before the transfer window closes so don’t get too excited. the window hasn’t even opened in europe and it seems most liverpool fans have written off the summer as a disaster!
Downing is a winger not a midfielder!! BTW we haven’t even signed him yet. As barney says chill – don’t het too excited! How do you know the two manc players are going to be a success? Funny how when we were linked with Young people say he was one dimensional and not good enough. We will offload some of our midfielders. Some people just aren’t happy we sign players they are a waste, when we don’t then FSG are not pulling their weight. Get a grip and wait until September before commenting negatively.
Liverpool didn’t pay upwards of 20 million. You should read some news instead of writing it mate!
I like your optimism lad, Henderson could turn out good, but at the end of the day, centre mid wasn’t a position we were short of. We spent £57m on two forwards. The larger amount amount on a player that relies on wingers crossing the ball and creating opportunities for him, so understand people’s frustration when we, one have already paid over the odds on Carroll and now spend a small fortune on a player who was average in an average team, 2 years PL experience. When for the extra £5m we could of bought a class winger, which in fact we don’t have any at the moment. So therefore that’s why people are worried.
I also have to disagree the reason he was poor due to the players around him, I’m sorry he should have plenty of experience and should be bossing the midfield in the u21’s against kids (most of them) are still warming the bench or not even in the first team at their clubs, he should of been head and shoulders against them teams, look at Spain, javi hernandez (player Benitez tried to sign to replace alonso) 22, 3 years experience playing for his team, absolutely bossed the midfield, I’ll give it he has better players but if he’d played for England he still would of bossed the midfield, why? Because he’s good. Henderson? Average, never looked a prospect and will be a poor mans carrick in my opinion and carrick is not a player I rate either..
I’m sure he’ll be a decent signing in time, but £16 million for Henderson is frankly ridiculous.
I would like to thnkx for the efforts you have put in writing this web site. I am hoping the same high-grade web site post from you in the upcoming as well. In fact your creative writing skills has encouraged me to get my own site now. Actually the blogging is spreading its wings rapidly. Your write up is a good example of it.