Liverpool FC Forum

C'mon. Basically all footballers in todays day and age are mercenaries. Loyalty stops with the wallet and no player stays with one club anymore.
It was very different once but that was a long time ago...

Penguins » Sun Jul 23, 2023 12:47 pm wrote:C'mon. Basically all footballers in todays day and age are mercenaries. Loyalty stops with the wallet and no player stays with one club anymore.
It was very different once but that was a long time ago...

I'm not arguing football has changed ,we all know it was dead in the water and the death knells sounded long ago with City and now Newcastle, but to even contemplate abandoning your identity and taking your family to such an immoral state were homosexuality is still considered a transgression that brings the death penalty cant be put down to just me being churlish ? Henderson's move in choosing to ply his trade under the name of such an abhorrent institution is the polar opposite to the public image he portrayed. I think those that believed Henderson was a voice that wasnt shy about getting behind associations that instill the hope they're truly trying to bring about change for the better in our local communities have the right to feel sick to the stomach at Henderson's betrayal.

Execution is usually carried out by beheading with a sword and hanging but may occasionally be performed by shooting or firing squad. I give you Sharia Law were adulterers and women who cheat inside of marriage are stoned to death. I mean just because City and Newcastle fans seem more than content to bend over for the Sheiks sweaty pork sword ,lets face facts here it's past tense with City as there collective sphincters are probably as baggy as a f*cking wind sock ,but if we ever sell ours to an oil state then I wont be as pliable as the cretinous fans I've mentioned and will walk away from the club I've actively supported man and boy.

LOOKS LIKE ITS GOODBYE TO HENDO

https://www.skysports.com/football/news ... en-gerrard

7/10 as a player
9/10 as a Captain

I wish him the best. He was never a “wow” player but he did a lot of Klopp’s work on the field and behind the scenes and for that we must acknowledge and be grateful. I personally do not blame him for wanting to make 100 million in the next 3 years, especially considering his playing time at Liverpool would have been severely reduced, after 12 years of professionalism though he did deserve a testimonial. I was angry when Owen , Coutinho, Mcmanaman and Suarez left as they were at their peak and thought we were not good enough to play for. Hendo as far as I’m concerned can leave with my blessing, he did enough for us without really being a club legend.

As for going to Saudi, I think football players should stay out of politics and stick to playing football. We watch football to get away from that sh1t.

Bit wierd that neither the club nor Klopp has not issued a statement about the move...

Liverpool were ‘shocked’ by the amount of paperwork that was necessary to complete the ‘fiendishly complicated’ £12m sale of captain Jordan Henderson.

Henderson brought his 12-year Anfield stay to an end this summer with a controversial move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq, managed by former Reds teammate Steven Gerrard.

The move has attracted intense criticism due to Henderson’s supposed LGBTQ+ allyship, which hardly tallies with his decision to play in a country where homosexuality is illegal and can be punishable by death.

But it seems as though the fax machines in Merseyside and Dammam were put under the most strain as the toughest part of the transfer to navigate were the contracts and fine print.

In an ‘inside’ story on the transfer, The Athletic say that ‘the paperwork’ was ‘fiendishly complicated’ and ‘the level of bureaucracy has shocked those involved with the deal’.

It is also claimed that Henderson only started to consider a reunion with Gerrard in the Middle East once he held talks with Jurgen Klopp that made it clear his starting role would diminish in the upcoming season.

Henderson played 43 games in the disappointing 2022/23 season, only missing a handful of matches as captain.

But the signings of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai in an ambitious summer midfield rebuild meant his opportunities were likely to be reduced, as confirmed in private and ‘amicable’ talks with Klopp.

The decision to leave essentially came down to ‘what his role was likely to be in the forthcoming season, something only Klopp could tell him’. The Liverpool manager was said to be ‘frank’ in explaining that ‘Henderson was unlikely to be a regular starter’.

‘Henderson, understandably given his achievements at Liverpool, was reluctant to play the role of a backup, seeing himself as a leader on the field as well as off it.’

After subsequently deciding to accept an offer that promised to quadruple his Anfield wages with a move to Al-Ettifaq – a source says “the money on the table was frightening” – Henderson had to wait for the two clubs to agree a fee.


The Saudi side had hoped to offset the overall costs of the deal by bringing the 33-year-old in for free, but Liverpool were understandably insistent on getting some money of their own.

During those protracted negotiations, Henderson ‘had two phone calls with Liverpool’s principal owner John W. Henry,’ who presumably asked what the Saudi side were smoking.


While that selfish Liverpool demand threatened to ruin the entire deal, a £12m fee was agreed and the deal was on.

Henderson left Liverpool’s training camp in Germany on July 19, had a medical in Manchester two days later and said his farewells to staff on Monday before greeting the Reds squad as they returned from their pre-season training camp.

In a talk with the players, Henderson ‘stressed that one of the reasons he was leaving was a desire not to hold the club back’.

I see they were booing him playing for England, I think it’s a bit much. All those booing him will jump at the chance to earn that much money. He has been a true professional and servant to England, actually he owes the rainbow folks nothing if that is what it is. He doesn’t rape women, doesn’t gamble, didn’t go on a week long drinking and hooker spree after he won the European Cup, he is not a blatant racist, didn’t sleep with a team mates wife  so there are plenty more players that deserve boos than him.

World has gone mad

I'd have done the exact same if I was in his position. Secure your self and a few generations financially for life.

Of course, everyone would do the same.

It's not like he wasn't set already though. The Saudis are everything that is wrong with football right now as we can see ourselves as well with Man City. He should have known that a lot of people won't be happy with him going there as it's a controversial move in more ways than one. He doens't deserve to be booed but he has only himself to blame if I'm honest.

Now he says he is only a footballer and not a politician but he didn't have any problems making political statemets when his PR required it. Now he threw all that out of the window with his move to a country has zero woman rights, even worse LGBT rights, uses slave labor etc. Of course some people will be angry with that.

Lastly, I also read that many who booed didn't boo Henderson as a person but rather Southgate's decision to play a 33 year old who's past his best and plays in the retirement league instead of some more deserving, younger players.

Looks like the sand isn't greener in Saudi.

Lots of rumours that Henderson has had enough of the Saudi league already and wants to come back to the Premier League.

Not sure where he'll end up, but apparently we have a sell-on clause.

What happened with the 2 year financial plan lol.

He clearly doesn't need the money. I'd be there for 2 years then looking to sign an extension!

He'd have been better off staying here and playing the Milner role. But apparently he wanted to be a regular starter...

If he does leave early his going to have to pay quite a lot of tax as he hasn't met their tax regs.

"secure his family’s financial well-being for generations."

That project is definitely out the window, I think his homesick and struggling to adjust to life in Saudi.