Bringing back Jordan Henderson should and will be a non-starter for Sunderland
Today at 01:00 AM
Recent social media chatter has linked the former Lads midfielder with a return to Wearside, but such a move shouldn't be made, writes Phil West
As we pause for the second international break of 2024/2025, would it be fair to sum up Sunderland's current midfield options thus?
Chris Rigg > Supreme
Jobe Bellingham > Immense
Alan Browne > Solid, dependable, and with an eye for goal (Apologies, Illan Meslier)
Dan Neil > Still seeking his best form and will doubtless rediscover it soon
Salis Abdul Samed > Good potential. Could be a really exciting addition
Milan Aleksić > See above
With the club sitting proudly at the summit of the Championship table after nine games, the lads who've played their part in helping Sunderland get off to such a strong start can rightly take pride in their performances so far.
Under Régis Le Bris, several of our midfielders have raised their game to a new level, and what's particularly intriguing is that we've not really witnessed a ninety-minute performance during which we've controlled things in the middle of the park to the level that Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell did for Leeds United last Friday night, for example.
When that happens, we'll be an even more dangerous proposition, and I have no doubt that the players already here are more than capable of continuing to deliver as the season unfolds, with our squad depth allowing us to rotate in the engine room where necessary.
With that in mind, it's been interesting to see yet another episode of lusting after a former Sunderland player unfold in recent days- specifically ex-Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, now on the books of Ajax after his ill-fated spell in Saudi Arabia, but allegedly considering a move away from the Eredivisie giants.
Naturally, all of the familiar arguments were wheeled out as the case was made to 'bring him home'.
'He'd be a great example for the younger lads'
Presumably the same youngsters who've shown maturity and composure beyond their years in helping us to the summit of the league, picking up some eye-catching results along the way?
'He'd be the best player in the league'
A bit of a stretch, in my opinion.
'He walks into our team'
And therein lies the crux of the issue.
The way our players have acquitted themselves this season has been exceptional. They're showing composure, class, resilience and fortitude, and they'll only improve the more they play.
To that end, and even trying to overlook the thorny issue of wages and the troubling fact he turned his back on the important LGBTQ causes he once championed in order to take the Saudi dollar, I fail to see any merits in bringing back a long-past-his-prime Henderson.
Who would we drop in order to accommodate him, and would it even be justified? Why would we want to opt for a short-term fix in a position that we're already well-stocked in?
Forget the ludicrous notions of Henderson taking up a player/coach role and the like, because we've been there before, and just because you once played for the club, it doesn't mean you should be parachuted into a coaching role for reasons that (and let's be honest here) are as nostalgia-driven as anything else.
Hankering after a former red and white hero and urging the club hierarchy to 'bring them home' is nothing new.
Last season, attentions were focused on Yann M'Vila, who eventually ended up at West Bromwich Albion but made little to no impact at the Hawthorns, and before that, the likes of Fabio Borini found themselves on the receiving end of overtures from fans who were desperate for a hero during the dog days of League One.
I don't think we're in that situation now and frankly, it all feels academic anyway.
After the Jermain Defoe fiasco of 2022 and with the likelihood of Henderson taking a pay cut to the level we'd expect in order to sign almost non-existent, I suspect Kristjaan Speakman won't bother pursuing it, even on a speculative level.
Exactly how we approach the January transfer window will be interesting, but of all the areas within the squad we might need to bolster, it's probably fair to say that midfield won't be high on the list.
During the early stages of 2024/2025, we've seen a new crop of red and white starlets emerging.
Many of them are local lads for whom playing for Sunderland will doubtless be the fulfilment of a dream. Personally, I think we should throw our weight fully behind them and show unswerving faith in their ability, because in time, they could become truly great players.
Henderson's brief, exciting spell in the Sunderland first team is part of an era that's long past, and whilst it's important to recognise that he enjoyed a long and productive club and international career after leaving in 2011, that's where it should end.
We're moving forward now, and those who are currently wearing the red and white stripes look more then capable of driving us on and hopefully edging Sunderland closer than ever to a return to the Premier League.
