Brentford captain Nathan Collins has hailed the influence of Jordan Henderson, describing the former Liverpool skipper as a calming presence and a standard-bearer for the team during a period of transition at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Henderson, who joined the Bees in the summer, has already made his mark both on and off the pitch during the early stages of head coach Keith Andrews' reign.
Collins Profiting from Henderson's Leadership
Jordan Henderson in action for Brentford
Collins has admitted that having such an experienced leader alongside him has eased the burden of captaincy at Brentford.
“It’s great to have him,” said Collins. “It takes a bit of pressure off me because he’s such a big personality, and everyone knows him from before. He talks to the referee so I can concentrate on my game a bit more. He brings a level of standard on the pitch, which is a necessity for us. He’s helped me a lot.”
The Republic of Ireland international highlighted Henderson’s ability to raise the collective level when it matters most. He added: “When it comes to a Saturday, the way he is on the pitch is unbelievable. He turns it on, it’s something different. We all look at it, and it helps the team overall. When he’s at it on a Saturday, I think we’re all at it.”
That influence has been vital as Brentford adapt to life without former boss Thomas Frank and seasoned campaigners like Christian Norgaard. Rather than dwell on the departures, Collins insists the squad has embraced its own “bubble”, focused on improvement and unity.
The centre-back admitted: “We get people saying we’re in trouble every season. But we have good people here, from the hierarchy to the chefs, everyone pushing in the same direction. The fans believe in us, the players believe in us, and we’re just going to keep doing the right things, game by game.”
Brentford’s resilience, combined with Henderson’s leadership and the loss of talents Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa, Mark Flekken and others, is giving Collins confidence that the club can continue to compete.
“It’s about those one per cent improvements every day. If we keep doing that, who knows how far it can take us,” he confirmed.
All statistics courtesy of Sofascore - correct as of 18/09/2025