Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has showered praise on Jordan Henderson following his move to Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia.
The former Reds captain spent 12 successful years at Anfield, winning numerous club honors and establishing himself as a Premier League legend for his leadership abilities.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Nigerian Super Falcons Beats Australia 3-2
Throughout Henderson’s time at Liverpool, some questioned his technical skills and whether he truly belonged among the best in his position.
However, Klopp has quashed those doubts and emphasized Henderson’s exceptional on-the-ball ability, which he believes was vital for the player’s success.
“There is the physical part, but there is the super-technical part.
“He is technically really, really good. Which sometimes players, because of the role they see themselves [in] on the pitch, this fighter and stuff like this, don’t always show,” Klopp explained.
“You cannot have this amount of Premier League games, you cannot be captain of Liverpool, you cannot play in the most important games in the world if you are technically not on a super-high level – and he is. Right foot, left foot really good.”
Klopp emphasized Henderson’s superb technical prowess, which might not have been fully appreciated due to his role as a fighter and leader on the pitch.
The Liverpool manager also hinted at the qualities he will look for in Henderson’s replacement.
He values players who can adapt to different roles on the field and excel in various positions, just like Henderson did for Liverpool.
Tactically, Henderson showed significant improvement under Klopp’s tenure, proving his versatility by playing in different positions, including center-half and the No.6 role.
Klopp acknowledged Henderson’s outstanding performances when deployed in these positions.
“Tactically he improved the most since we are here, had to play different positions, did that really well. Even played centre-half for us.
“Had to play No.6, I thought he played a few outstanding games on six.”
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: David Silva: Professional Football Comes To A Sad End
With Henderson’s departure, Klopp faces the unique challenge of naming a new Liverpool captain for the first time since his arrival in 2015.
Throughout his tenure, Henderson held the captaincy, but now the manager must identify a new leader to carry the armband and lead the team both on and off the pitch.
