Angus Robertson discusses the Liverpool captain’s inspiring mental fortitude.
What defines a role model? Whilst subjective, it can be said that people look towards those who set a precedent, or to those who may originate from difficult beginnings and proceed to rise through and beyond adversity. These role models may flourish in fame, and/or possess otherworldly talent that often surpasses comprehension. Through this criterion outlined, footballers, tick all the boxes, especially for younger audiences. Many have questioned whether the almost unparalleled influence of footballers is positive, especially on younger minds. Vitriolic and vicious towards referees, play-acting and ‘cheating’ through diving - an act by which one deceivingly reaps reward. Even the less offensive, whilst no less distasteful, systemically ingrained habit of spitting on the field of play has become synonymous with the sport. Modern football has become understandably, if not undeservedly, easy to dislike.
In partnership grows a dislike for those who play the ‘beautiful game’. Those who subconsciously spit saliva; the divers and manipulators, the provocateurs, all of whom within some capacity do exist within the game. However, generalising an entire population through stigma, especially when that generalisation translates into online or verbal abuse, is as damaging to footballers as it is to any other person within any other profession or community. Which is why, when a man as dogged as Jordan Henderson exists within the spotlight, it should be a fundamentally important message to encourage all who love the game in its purest form to follow and appreciate him as we would any other role model. His validity should not be dismissed due to his occupation. I do not wish to overly praise Jordan Henderson for his on-field accomplishments (despite his almost incomparable athletic footballing abilities during the 2019/20 Premier League season). What impresses me most about this fiercely strong-willed man is the very reason he has been able to showcase his talents so effectively over the past 18 months.
Both on and off the pitch, he is a true ‘mentality monster’. He is a pillar of responsibility and unwavering determination to which young men in particular should aspire to replicate whilst following their own path.
And yes, he just so happens to be a footballer! Who’d have thought it.
Receiving the Liverpool club captain’s armband from Steven Gerrard (upon his departure in 2015) was always going to be a near impossible task, let alone for an ‘average joe’ like Henderson. The constant comparisons were, and still are, cruel. Few will ever be as great, in the eyes of those faithful to the Anfield stadium, as Steven Gerrard. Gerrard, at times, single-handedly dragged the club through the early 2000s. And oh my, didn’t Henderson feel the brunt of that message.
It is gruelling to be constantly and aggressively told, in any walk of life, you are simply not good enough. Up until recently, that was Henderson. Isn’t that a discouraging and toxic message to be reinforced on a daily basis? Entitlement is another key element in football. In a way it’s endearing, I personally love being able to proudly refer to Liverpool Football Club as a unified ‘we’ in conversation. After all, collectivism is such a key principle in all team sports and is without question what makes the connection you feel towards your own football club so special: it is a global family. Paradoxically, it has the potential to fuel ‘backseat’ or ‘keyboard’ managing from those who think they know better than a specific footballing hierarchy, without being legitimately affiliated with a given institution. Football is an extremely opinion-based enterprise, and is all the better for it. But when that transcribes itself into unwarranted abuse, there is a problem.
Adam Lallana, a previous team-mate and extremely close friend of Jordan Henderson, brought to light details regarding how the weight of expectation burdened Henderson’s mental state during a series of farewell interviews. In the wake of Liverpool’s collapse - leading 3-0 at halftime to then draw 3-3 against Spanish side Sevilla in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League during the 2017/18 season - the media (and fans) were quick to criticise the team’s frailties - both mentally and physically. However, Henderson (as club captain) placed the responsibility for the collapse almost entirely on himself. He concluded that the second half display indirectly related to his inability to lead the side properly. This is undoubtably a disheartening result of his natural involvement within the pressure cooker that is sports journalism, providing a tidal wave of abuse that followed Henderson’s every stumble as captain.
Criticism, dictated in a constructive way, is a building block of personal character. However, if you remove the constructive element and replace it with personal bias and outright negativity, the outcome is damaging. A tragically high price has too often been paid for such unnecessarily sinister behaviour. Footballers are not exempt.
Contrary, what I found most intriguing about Lallana’s farewell testimony was his alarm at Henderson’s ‘selflessness’ and ability to ‘take responsibility…in the bad moments’. Some would argue it was ‘just another game of football’ and be done with the conversation. I want to dig deeper and ask: could Henderson’s level of accountability translate into every-day life? The answer is, wholeheartedly, yes. In fact, these are qualities that leadership often frustratingly lacks in the modern day. Furthermore, Henderson’s honesty and ability to confide in those he trusts (in this case Lallana) is a sign of the utmost strength of character.
Emotional ‘weakness’ is a stigma that weighs on the modern-day man. Personally, I find solace in how Henderson’s continual demonstration of vulnerability, empathy and emotion towards those he finds dear (both publicly and privately) encompasses his own masculine identity in a beautifully positive way.
There are very few crosses to bear in the world of sport greater than that bestowed upon the captain Liverpool Football Club. With that being said, it’s also easy to forget footballers’ humanity. Through Liverpool’s victory in the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League final, a year on from the landmark Sevilla collapse, we were reminded of that humanity. Anyone who has been affected by cancer will understand it’s a malignancy that simultaneously roots intra- and interpersonally. Sometimes, it scars deeper than those it directly affects. Jordan Henderson’s passionate and tear-jerking embrace with his father, a recent survivor of oral cancer, upon the final whistle of that nerve-racking final symbolised more than just victory on the pitch. Both men were fighting very different battles, but for ultimately the same reason; they were fighting for each other. For the majority of Reds fans, unaware of the circumstances of that loving exchange, the feeling of euphoria was a repercussion of Liverpool returning to the peak of European footballing dominance, rather than for any more significant reason. However, when delving into the situation further, it brings to attention the scale of Henderson’s mental fortitude. He had ensured the Red half of Liverpool was able to live a few days of absolute ecstasy, whilst privately suffering arm in arm with his father’s fight against cancer. With context, that embrace meant so much more than football. Ultimately, this is why I love the sport, due to its ability to allow the rawest forms of human emotion to blossom. Frankly, Henderson’s personal resolve is infinitely commendable, and boy does it inspire me to better my own.
And so, I ask again. What defines a role model? Personally, I would encourage most people to consider Jordan Henderson in a light that shines more deservingly on his efforts towards creating a more enriching cultural environment, as well as his talent on the pitch.
Football doesn’t define a person, it allows a person to define themselves. The sport provides a platform for self-expression in which Henderson uses to implement positive social change. Most recently, he was the figurehead for the Premier League Players Fund against COVID-19, a scheme responsible for raising millions of pounds for the NHS, earning Henderson well-deserved praise for his initiative. Henderson was again instrumental in the organisation of Liverpool’s quick and decisive response in kneeling alongside the Black Lives Matter movement; due to this, the club is the one of the first high profile British teams to publicly back the movement.
On and off the pitch, his attitude is inspirational. His passion and endearment, for both his supporters and teammates, is infectious, whilst his leadership is simply outstanding. I could not be prouder to call Jordan Henderson my captain, and my role model.
By Angus Robertson
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