Harvey Elliott Defends Former Liverpool Captain Jordan Henderson
Harvey Elliott, former Liverpool midfielder, has come to the defense of his former captain Jordan Henderson. Henderson was jeered during England’s 1-0 win over Australia at Wembley on Friday. He had been given the captain’s armband in place of Harry Kane, who was rested, but was booed when he was replaced by Kalvin Phillips in the second half.
Elliott believes that Henderson deserves better treatment for all he has done for English football. He said, “It’s upsetting, Hendo is a massive inspiration, not just to myself but to many around the world. For what he has done for England and English football it’s not nice to see. It’s his decision, it’s his career. As a nation we need to get behind these players and support them. It wasn’t nice, but knowing Hendo I’m sure it hasn’t fazed him. He’s a positive-minded player and person. He just wants to do the best for himself in his career. Everyone is behind him.”
Henderson’s Controversial Move to Al Ettifaq
Henderson completed a controversial switch to Al Ettifaq from Liverpool in the summer having been a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, with homosexuality illegal in Saudi Arabia. Despite this, Elliott has backed the 33-year-old.
England manager Gareth Southgate also called Henderson a role model and insisted he could not understand the negative reception. Elliott will contact his former skipper once England duty is over, with the 20-year-old travelling to Slovakia to face Ukraine with the under-21s on Monday and Henderson preparing for the visit of Italy on Tuesday.
Elliott’s Support for Henderson
Elliott said, “I didn’t want to make too much of a fuss about it – no-one should. It’s a few individuals who have different points of views, which is fine. I don’t think he would take it to heart too much. We always keep in touch, when we’re here (St George’s Park) and see those guys we are always having conversations and it’s nice to have that togetherness with the seniors. Some of the lads, playing for the big teams here, brings everyone together. It’s nice to be around them and it gives us all a target and goal.”
It is clear that Elliott has a great deal of respect for his former captain and believes that Henderson deserves better treatment from the public. Elliott’s support for Henderson is a testament to their close relationship and the respect they have for each other.
Conclusion
Jordan Henderson has been a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and has faced criticism for his controversial move to Al Ettifaq. Despite this, former Liverpool teammate Harvey Elliott has come to his defense and believes that Henderson deserves better treatment from the public. Elliott has shown his support for Henderson and believes that he will be able to overcome this obstacle in his career.