Brendan Rodgers believes
Jordan Henderson is proving both on and off the pitch why he’s a
Liverpool FC captain in waiting.
The 24-year-old midfielder took centre stage during Tuesday night’s rousing
1-1 draw with Chelsea in their Capital One Cup semi-final first leg at Anfield.
For 90 minutes he delivered a commanding display - ensuring Brendan Rodgers’ side remained firmly on the front foot during a sustained second-half onslaught against the Premier League leaders.
And then when the action stopped Henderson set about defending the club’s honour. A
dispute with Diego Costa, which began on the field, continued in the players’ tunnel.
Henderson refused to be bullied by the imposing Spain international as the duo squared up to each other before members of the clubs’ backroom staff stepped in to defuse the situation.
It was only a minor dispute but it underlined how Henderson is growing into the role of being a leader in the dressing room.
Steven Gerrard recently hailed him as the ideal successor to the captain’s armband he will vacate when he joins LA Galaxy this summer.
And Rodgers admits he has been delighted by how Henderson has set about embracing the extra responsibility the manager gave him when he was appointed vice-captain back in September.
Steven Gerrard hands over the captains arm band to Jordan Henderson
“Now you see his leadership qualities on the field, and off the field he will protect his team and his colleagues,” Rodgers said.
“He is a wonderful ambassador for the club.
“It wasn’t just a case of giving the guy the vice-captaincy and him just pulling on an armband. I remember being sat talking to Jordan - it meant an awful lot to him,
“It’s a representation of an iconic club who over many years have had great captains and great vice-captains. Obviously, having watched Steven closely in his time here he recognises the prestige of the role.
“He understands why I gave him it and he knows the leadership qualities demanded through that. He will only grow and get better from it. We saw the other night he’s very much a team player.
“At this moment in time when Steven doesn’t play, Jordan leads the team in great fashion. When you see him in the tunnel he has great presence and good status and you see now the supporters respond to him,”
Rodgers says Henderson’s unwavering team ethic was underlined by a gesture he made towards the end of last season when the Reds were challenging for the Premier League title.
He put to one side his own personal heartache after being sent off against Manchester City in April and did all he could to help as he served a three-match ban.
“This tells you the type he is,” Rodgers said.
“Without telling anyone he went to someone here at the club and said ‘listen, any media commitments which need to take place, I’ll do them in place of the players to let them concentrate on the games’,
“He didn’t want any glory for it, he was just thinking about the team and his colleagues in an important time of the season. He would take on all those duties to allow them to concentrate on the football. That’s the type of young man he is.
“When I first came in he was searching for his status here at the club. It was a difficult first season for him.
“But the team who brought him in before knew he was a good person and a strong character and that has continued in the two and a half years I’ve been here.
“He’s a first class young player who can only get better because there is so much to learn with different systems and tactics which he’s embracing,
“He will also grow and develop from watching Steven in the role he plays, If he does become the captain next season he will carry it out with great honour.”
Henderson could be handed the armband for Saturday’s FA Cup fourth round tie with Bolton Wanderers at Anfield. Gerrard is likely to be rested with one eye on Tuesday night’s second leg against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
