Jamie Carragher has named the Liverpool star he believes missed out on winning another Premier League title with the club after he decided to leave Anfield
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher.
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher.(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
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Jamie Carragher has told Jordan Henderson he missed out on winning another Premier League title with Liverpool and made a big mistake leaving the club. Henderson, who captained Liverpool to their first Premier League title in 30 years in 2020, caused shockwaves nearly three years ago when he left the Reds to move to Saudi Arabia, joining Pro League club Al-Ettifaq.
However, the 35-year-old faced widespread criticism for making the move to play for Al-Ettifaq in a country where same-sex relationships are illegal and they have a poor human rights record. Also accused of chasing mega money, Henderson lasted just six months in Saudi before joining Dutch giants Ajax. He then spent 18 months in Amsterdam before returning to the Premier League this summer, joining Brentford.
But Carragher believes Henderson made a big mistake in opting to move to Saudi Arabia; not only could he have won another title, but he also could be playing the role Wataru Endo has performed in recent seasons.
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Speaking on the Zac Djellab podcast, the Kop icon said: “When I retired and Steven Gerrard left the club, it was, 'Who is going to be Liverpool captain?’ Liverpool fans were going nuts that Jordan Henderson was captain; I was defending him constantly.
“It was right that he was captain, a brilliant captain, been a brilliant player for Liverpool. I still don’t think he should have left Liverpool, he should still be at Liverpool now.
"I think he made a big mistake leaving Liverpool, he missed out on another league title, obviously went to Saudi Arabia, Ajax and is at Brentford.
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 02: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp celebrate with Jordan Henderson at the final whistle during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Liverpool FC at Villa Park on November 2, 2019 in Birmingham, United Kingdom. (Photo by Ian Cook - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp celebrates with Jordan Henderson after the famous 2-1 comeback victory at Aston Villa in November 2019(Image: Ian Cook - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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“He shouldn’t have left Liverpool, it was a mistake. It was because Jurgen Klopp said he was bringing midfield players in, and he said he wasn’t going to play every week.
“What [Wataru] Endo has done at Liverpool, Jordan Henderson is a better player; he could have done that, and he’d have picked another league title up. I think he made a big mistake there.”
Henderson admitted towards the end of last year that he was so hurt by his Anfield exit that he couldn't bear to watch his former club on TV.
Jordan Henderson lifts the Premier League trophy
Jordan Henderson captained Liverpool to the Premier League title in 2020(Image: LAURENCE GRIFFITHS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
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He said: “It was a really tough period when I left Liverpool, I was there for a long period of time, 12 years.
“Leaving Liverpool itself was huge and really difficult and at any point it was going to be hard because it had been my life for so long and then it is just gone like that… so I have struggled for a period after that.
“No, I couldn’t watch a lot of games, I certainly couldn’t watch Liverpool. I didn’t watch a lot of Premier League stuff then… probably picked the right place for that, I was half way around the world!
“Yeah, it was tough, but when you leave Liverpool because I was there for so long because I had such an attachment and I dedicated a large part of my life there, when I left I found it really difficult and I suppose whatever I did or wherever I went…
“I don’t know what it felt like; it felt like a break-up. It was just difficult and I think if you asked a lot of players when they left a club, not just Liverpool but when you have been at a club for so long and you have that attachment to them, whether you retire or move on.
“I think for a period of time that was hard, but within time things change; you move on, but I would say that was probably the most difficult time.”
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