Keith Andrews says Sunderland fans will give Jordan Henderson a “special” welcome on his Stadium of Light return
Henderson, who came through the Academy of Light before making 79 senior appearances for the Black Cats, is set to face his boyhood club for the first time since joining Brentford in a surprise summer move from Ajax, though the England international has faced his boyhood club while at Liverpool previously.
Andrews believes the occasion will be a special one for the 35-year-old, who remains one of Sunderland’s most successful academy graduates after going on to captain Liverpool, lift the Premier League and Champions League, and represent England at major tournaments.
“I’m sure it will be a special day for him,” Andrews said ahead of the game. “Sunderland have produced good players over the years, and Jordan is certainly one of them. It’ll be nice for him to go back, and I know he’ll get a fantastic reception.”
Andrews, who oversaw Brentford’s Carabao Cup victory over Bournemouth earlier this week, has been trialling a back-five defensive system and wants his side to remain “adaptable” and “flexible” as they prepare to take on Régis Le Bris’ Sunderland side.
“We showed another side of ourselves in the cup and it worked well at times,” he said. “We need to be able to change shape when required, and the players have adapted to that brilliantly. Whether we stick with that this weekend remains to be seen, but I want us to be unpredictable.”
On potential late-window business, Andrews admitted Brentford could still sanction a few departures and possibly strengthen before deadline day but stressed that he is largely happy with his squad. “Weird and wonderful things can happen in the final few days of a window,” he said. “Possibly one or two of the younger players may go out on loan if we feel it’s right. I’m pretty content with what we’ve got, but if the club feels there’s an opportunity to add someone who can improve us, we’ll look at it.”
Looking ahead to facing Sunderland, Andrews was full of praise for the club, its supporters, and the transformation under Le Bris, warning his players that they face a stern test on Wearside. “I can’t wait for it. It’s a traditional ground and, with the journey they’ve been on, having dipped down the divisions at times, they’ve got a fanbase that is so passionate and engaged,” Andrews said. “I’m really looking forward to the atmosphere, and I know our players will feed off that. We’ve seen the best of Sunderland in periods against West Ham – they can be very, very dangerous.”
What Kristjaan Speakman has said about Sunderland’s transfer plans
Speaking to Football Focus before Sunderland's recent win over West Ham, sporting director Kristjaan Speakman said the club would remain active in the transfer market right up until the transfer deadline on September 1st.
“It is a process all the way through to the end of the month," he said. "I mean, we're trying to build the best squad for the Premier League that we can do. We think we've had a really good start at that. Obviously, today will be a good test for us, the first game, but we'll be working away through to deadline day to try to make sure that the team is the right team and the squad is the right squad.
“Fans will be excited, obviously keen to see the new faces, but I think there'll be a few as well who want a bit of reassurance. You know, we've seen history not be kind to some clubs who've had a real go. So it's bound to be a bit of a gamble, it always is. But how much is the club future-proof to make sure everything will be okay in the long run? Yeah, we've always tried to look at every outcome when we make decisions.
The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click this link to join ourSAFC WhatsApp channel.
“We're always looking at what's the short-term, and obviously for us that's the Premier League season, and obviously what the medium and long-term is. So we certainly have always been well-planned with that. I think you've always got to look at all the different outcomes, whether they're positive or negative.
“We're all geared up for the positive. You can spend a lot of time, I think, talking about the challenge and the difficulty. We've tried to assess the focus on what the solutions are and how we can build a really positive team for the Premier League.”
Continue Reading