Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is said to have pleaded ignorance when asked if he was booed by England fans last week.
Jordan Henderson received a lukewarm reception when he led England to Wembley on Friday night.
Handed the captaincy by Gareth Southgate against Australia, with Harry Kane on the bench, he led a much-changed side in front of 81,116 spectators as the international friendly marked his debut.
Former England captain.
moved to Al-Ettifaq this summer.
His name was met with boos from sections of the home crowd before kick-off as both teams were declared finished, while the 33-year-old was even booed afterwards louder when he was replaced by Kieran Trippier after 62 minutes.
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Henderson and Southgate are said to have shared their surprise at the midfielder’s booing after Friday’s match.
“I really don’t understand.
He is a player, has played for England 79 times,” Southgate said.
“His commitment and what he has brought to England is exceptional.
“His role on and off the field is hugely important.
.
.
Some people decided to boo .
I really don’t understand what it’s used for.
Meanwhile, after initially claiming he had not heard the boos and did not know why he was being treated that way, Henderson shared his disappointment at such a reception.
“Not really.
I don’t know (why I was booed).
Is that right?
” he asked reporters before it was presented that it could be related to his move to Saudi Arabia.
“If people want to boo if I play in another country, that’s not it.
” must be the problem.
Everyone will have an opinion about playing in Saudi Arabia.
“I’ve already talked about the reason for this.
Whether people believe us or not is up to them.
But when I’m here with England, that doesn’t change anything.
“I give everything away.
Of course it’s disappointing, but it won’t change what I do here.
I want to keep playing and help the team become successful… It’s not nice, your own fans, if they were booing.
But people have their own opinions.
”
Henderson was clearly taken aback at being booed by supporters, either oblivious to or ignorant of the full extent of backlash his controversial Anfield departure has prompted on home soil, away from his recent relocation to a Middle Eastern Ivory Tower.
Footballers do live in a bubble, it must be said.
But this one has well and truly burst.
Perhaps it would have been less of a surprise if he weren’t plying his trade in a country where only a combined 63,780 people have seen him play in person.
The combined attendance from his eight Saudi Pro League appearances falls miserably short of the overall attendance at Wembley on Friday night.
The largest crowd the 33-year-old has played in front of in Saudi Arabia stands at 14,045, away at Al-Ahli when reuniting with Roberto Firmino last month.
The lowest, a measly 976 away at Abha two weeks earlier.
Meanwhile, the largest home crowd turned up for the opening day of the season against Sadio Mane’s Al-Nassr, standing at 13,930.
It is the only Al-Ettifaq home match played in front of a crowd larger than 10,000 people, with the most recent meeting hosting Al-Fateh the only other match at the Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium to take place in front of more than 5,000 people.
We’re a long way from playing in front of sold-out Anfield, Wembley or even Sunderland Stadium of Light.
Henderson at least got a taste of the crowd he performs in front of every week when he was booed on Friday night.
Much has been made of his move from Saudi Arabia, from Henderson downplaying financial incentives to seemingly turning his back on the LGBT+ community he was a strong supporter of.
how to move to a country where Homosexuality is illegal and punishable by death.
At best, he has become a cheerleader for the controversial Gulf nation.
He has had his say, speaking at length to Athletic before the international break in September.
Proving this to be a PR objective for Henderson’s camp, as it fails to satisfy any of his skeptics and critics, if he hopes to convince viewers of his motives then he failed miserably.
Unconvinced by the midfielder’s excuses, England supporters are now speaking out.
And they will not be silent.
There may be more boos when the Three Lions host Italy this evening, although early signs suggest that Henderson will not start.
What Henderson has done on the field for club and country during his 15-year playing career is palpable, even if he remains a polarizing player.
However, it is his actions off the field that have earned him the greatest admiration, including being an ally of the LGBT+ community and his role as an ambassador for the NHS.
The result was very high ratings, which is what made his “sale” to Saudi Arabia a bitter pill to swallow.
In doing so, he alienated many of his supporters within the Liverpool and England fanbase.
Such a reception has nothing to do with the achievements he achieved on the field in 79 international matches.
So your colleagues are the only ones who can protect your tarnished reputation.
Henderson can bury his head in the sand all he wants while counting his Saudi millions, pleading ignorance as to why he was booed at Wembley.
But regardless of whether he didn’t really know it or was just looking away, both scenarios reiterate why his move to Saudi Arabia was so unpleasant in the first place.
