Summer Transfer window

Of course, I’m just putting it across that it’s not just down to the Newcastle link. It’s a narrative that people will and are trying to use now and that’s simply not true.

Just look back through the Jordan Henderson thread. There’s literally posters on there saying he’s ruined his legacy and he’d never be welcomed back. Now there’s a chance of him coming the same people are calling for him to come back. That’s the virtue signalling and dropping of morals, I’m talking about.

 

Couldn't be more different.

 

This kind of thing from people who act like social justice warriors until something benefits them and then all that goes out the window.

 

Completely understand anyone annoyed by it but it’s very different to the mags

 

I'm not saying it's just down to the Newcastle link, but 100% there's plenty who are against it because of that connection

I didn't agree with Henderson going there, I understood it from a financial point of view but I was against it. Doesn't mean he's a bad person though, he left there quickly realising he made a mistake so if he comes back then so be it, he would have my support

 

I can understand the club being linked with him, experienced and a voice on and off the pitch which the young lads will obviously listen to but my hesitation is that if Jobe does leave, we're losing a physical presence with pace in midfield something that Henderson isn't. I hope if Jobe goes we get someone similar to replace him

 

That’s fair enough. He’ll not have mine and I reserve the right to rock up at the training ground and give him dogs abuse in front of his colleagues. Just so his colleagues and the club understand that there’s some of us think he’s a rat and he won’t be forgiven.

 

Not me. I have no control over who the club bring in. I do have control over my values and my standards though. If he does sign then I will support him as a player in the team as we all want the team to do well. What I can’t support though is his lack of integrity and poor judgement when he decided to go and play in Arabia. If he had shown any sort of humility over the incident then I could forgive that. He didn’t. He tried to justify his move there.
The really sad thing is that he was a truly great player. It’s also sad that I can’t show off anymore by saying he grew up on the street I did.

 

I’m saying no more from now on. I’ve made my point and recognise probably too much and it will just go round in circles, now.

What we have now is built on a togetherness between the club and fans that I’ve never seen this good in my lifetime. I think the club are mad to bring him in because they’re throwing a big spanner in the works by doing so.

 

Henderson is a top lad and does loads for the local area (and has done for years) that goes on under the radar. He didn't want to make a fuss but made a massive difference to the people who needed it.

I didn't agree with his Saudi move and I think he let himself down tbh. But his career and experience is something we can't turn down, especially the way we are trying to do things. Having him with Neil, Rigg and Jobe (praying emoji) would be brilliant for them.

I know someone who is very close to Jordan and his dad and I'll ask him later today when I see him. He always said there's no chance when I've asked previously but we're in the Prem now so it might change. One thing I do know is, Jordan may want to come back for personal reasons, he's a family man and his dad hasn't been very well again for a while now.

I wouldn't want him starting every week but would be invaluable around the squad.

 

I won't be able to forgive him for that.

Just not a human I want any association with at any cost.

I understand some don't see it that way but I always will.

I'd far sooner have Shearer as our team hair stylist, Gazza as our dietician and Beardsley as our youth welfare coordinator to be honest.

It isn't even that he went to Saudi. I get people taking the blood money, while I don't like it, each to their own.

But to have done it after taking the plaudits as an ally and a hero...

I found it pretty grotesque.

 

People often forget all the good that someone does when they do 1 thing they don't thinks right - that's their opinion so not saying it's wrong btw

I don't think Henderson had many options when leaving Liverpool and got offered silly money to go to Saudi. He went over and appartently regretted it immediately and got out the deal ASAP.

As I said I don't agree with it but I don't believe holding it against someone who is doing what they think is best for their family

If he comes he will have my support

I'm not overly keen on the signing due to his lack of legs and I think he will be wanting to start weekly and he's not good enough for that

 

Henderson is a physical presence mind, definitely not with legs. We definitely need need pace though. I think Neil may also struggle with the pace. Top priority for me would be a strong cdm to dictate play. Like Henderson but with his previous engine.

 

Yeah, he should be nowhere near starting every week. If he comes in to basically do what he does in the England squad, it would be ideal.

If we sign Henderson, does it give the Bellingham's a reason to let Jobe stay another year?

 

I do think the majority would be very supportive of a Henderson return but there will be a decent amount of fans that will be very sour to him because of what he did. That’s another factor to not do the deal, we’ve got such an incredible connection right now between the fan base, team and club. That’s without talking about what’s left of his ability.

I agree with posts about it not being the same as Newcastle. Going there to work is not the same as the actual people sanctioning these inhuman things literally owning the football club.

But let’s not forget the national media crucified Henderson, he was widely condemned and still people don’t want him anywhere near the England squad. He will undoubtedly be asked questions about going there (him moving to Holland is no surprise) and do we want this stuff getting asked towards one of our players?

I’m all for doing right by your family obviously, but don’t profit off and promote gay rights to just end up taking cash to try and promote a country who would murder people for being gay. Was such a disgraceful thing to do like, just imo of course.

 

People banging on about Premier League experience yet Henderson hasn't played in the Premier league for the best part of 2 seasons. Players will have changed, coaches will have changed. If Liverpool thought he wasn't good enough nigh on 2 seasons ago why do we think he is now?
I know I'm being hard here but I'm afraid that we have to be, no room for sentiment at the moment.
Of course if he wanted to come back to do his coaching badges and just be about the place, to influence our younger players I would have no objection. In fact a combination of him and O9 would be ideal.
Just my thoughts

 

For all the good Hendo has done over the years, the Saudi money grap and a scrapping of his entire moral compass still surpasses it all. IMO anyway. I haven't changed my view, and I don't want him here after his selling of the soul. That said, I won't abuse the bloke whilst on the pitch or anything but I stand by my only post on the Hendo thread. I won't change it just because he is actually going to sign for us now.

From a football perspective I don't want him either. It feels like a lazy move to me. I think we need far more physical and running power and Hendo off the ball is like watching a tortoise try to move.

 

The age he is he won’t be under any illusions. He’ll be coming back to be a club captain type not a box to box midfielder who starts every game. He’s a Sunderland lad and Sunderland fan. He ****ed up and was rightly criticised. Don’t we all. I’m with Scout. The narrative about the mags and the Saudis is weakened if we get him but to be honest I prefer the narrative 8 in a row so I’d rather we improved as a club and won the derby games. Hendersons biggest asset is he knows that league more than any of our staff and I’d rather we had that on our side.

 

Aye, let’s stop trying to level it out over the Saudi thing cos that’s too polarised.

None of us will question a phenomenal career, immense experience and the romance of it.

However, he’s glacially slow now (was close to that even before he left Liverpool), and that should be as far as we need to go.

He plays on what will be such a vital position for a team that’s going to fight to survive and it just won’t help us. The way a PL number 8 or 10 can collect, then and run we’d be in massive trouble.

Let’s look at it clean, if he didn’t have Sunderland links, would we want him? Who’s an equivalent without that?

Jorginho - Gone to Brazil as can’t compete
Casimero - Shambolicaly bypassed in PL for 2 years
Busquets - MLS

These are 3 that it’s easier to argue we’re both better players (I’m not underrating Hendo here, he was superb)

You could add Matic, Gross, both still playing for Elite European clubs for the counter argument, but neither of them are exactly doing bits.

 

If he played he’d surely be sitting in front of the CB’s to dictate play as far as possible when in possession. A Yorke type role. He probably has enough to do that. Think I’d prefer to avoid it though, based on baggage. Although an honest statement about getting the move all wrong and I’d feel differently. There remains an opportunity for him to redeem his hypocrisy.