Jordan Henderson appointed Liverpool captain: Reds announce 25-year-old midfielder chosen to succeed Steven Gerrard as skipper
Liverpool have announced that England midfielder Henderson will fill the gap left by Gerrard's exit having stepped up from his previous role as vice-captain
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Your support makes all the difference.Jordan Henderson has officially been named as the new captain of Liverpool Football Club following Steven Gerrard's exit after 12 years as the Reds skipper.
Henderson’s credentials as a potential leader were displayed last season as the England midfielder took control of the side in the absence of Gerrard, who was beginning to be rotated by manager Brendan Rodgers as his time at Anfield headed towards an end.
With 25-year-old Henderson coming of age under Rodgers’ tutelage, many expected the former Sunderland midfielder to be named as Gerrard’s successor, although the summer arrival of James Milner from Manchester City did offer Rodgers a more experienced candidate should he prefer a wiser head to lead his young side.
But Liverpool have confirmed that Henderson will take on the armband after serving his apprenticeship as vice-captain last season, and his first task will be to gel a side that already shows seven new signings this season in a bid to return to the top four and secure Champions League qualification.
Henderson admitted that it was a "great honour" to be named captain of a club with the stature of Liverpool.
"I’m absolutely delighted and proud. It is a great honour and a huge privilege to be named as the captain of this football club," he said.
Rodgers added: "Jordan has grown as a person and as a player since arriving at Liverpool and is ready to take up this challenge.
Henderson arrived on Merseyside in 2011 in a deal worth up to £20m, and the pressure of such a hefty price-tag at just 21 years of age appeared to get to him as he struggled to reproduce his Sunderland form that led to then-manager Kenny Dalglish making the big money move for him.
However, with Rodgers’ arrival came an injection of trust, and Henderson repaid the Northern Irishman’s faith by helping to inspire Liverpool to a second place finish in the Premier League in 2013/14, securing a return to Europe’s elite competition in the process.
Despite Liverpool’s below-par campaign last season, Henderson was still one of the standout players at Anfield, and he has been duly rewarded with the captain’s armband for what the club hope will be the foreseeable future.
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