Not everyone can be Souness but there's no shame in being Ronnie Whelan (ESPN article)

[tlw content]

by Dave Usher for ESPN

 

There has not been a great deal for Liverpool fans to smile about of late, but at least there has been some welcome news on the contract front this week. On Thursday, Jordan Henderson signed a new deal, with Jordon Ibe expected to soon follow suit, while Martin Skrtel announced earlier this week that he has no intention of leaving Anfield and expects to agree an extension this summer. All that remains now is for Raheem Sterling to grab a pen and join the party.

 

Henderson committing himself was important for the club as he's become a key player over the last couple of seasons and is the most likely to inherit the captaincy (albeit almost by default) when Steven Gerrard departs for the MLS this summer. The likeable former Sunderland man is a fine example of what can be achieved through hard work, a willingness to learn and a refusal to throw in the towel.

 

It's well documented that he could have left Anfield soon after Brendan Rodgers took charge in 2012, but he backed his own ability and chose to stay and fight for his place. It took a little while for him to win Rodgers over but by the turn of that year he had forced his way ahead of the competition to claim a regular place in the first XI.

 

He's been there ever since and has even captained the side on numerous occasions this season in the absence of Gerrard. Supporters will be happy to see him committing his future to the club, even if the reported £100,000-a-week salary still seems overly generous in the eyes of many. It's all relative these days though, and while in theory the 24-year-old Henderson is probably not yet deserving of that kind of contract, there are lesser players than him earning higher amounts throughout the Premier League.

 

But Henderson has made great strides over the past two or three years. He's still relatively young and his desire to improve and professional attitude suggest he will only get better.

 

How much better may depend on the kind of player he is surrounded with. There is no doubt that Henderson can play an important role in Liverpool's midfield for years to come, but he is not a player that you build your midfield around. One of the many tasks for Liverpool this summer is to find that dominant midfield man who would allow Henderson to take his game to even greater heights.

 

Read the rest of the article here.

 

Click here to view the article

[Kevin D]

Dave, if you're going to commend Henderson for staying and backing his ability, I think that other players should be afforded that courtesy. I think that it's only fair that Borini be applauded for telling QPR and Sunderland to fuck off, instead of being termed an "unflushable turd" "deadwood" and a "reject" who should leave.

 

I also think it should be pointed out that Henderson was allowed an incredible amount of matches to grow into our midfield that a lot of players weren't granted, before they were told to leave.

[aRdja]

"someone capable of protecting the defence while also having the personality and range of passing to dictate the flow of a game."

 

Trying to find that player to play alongside Henderson would be difficult, as I can only think of an elite few in the world that meet this criteria; Schweinsteiger, Alonso, Kroos (to an extent).

[Mr T]

The article reads a bit like: "Henderson is a good lad so let's find a good player to play alongside him who can carry him". Understandable, I feel like that at times. He's a likable chap so I want him to succeed. However, I think the correct attitude is to demand he improves and starts to iron out some of the big holes in his game: missing easy chances, getting bullied, being over reliant on the sideways pass, going missing in a big games .He's got his deal now so it's time he started to earn his obscene money through the quality of his performances. You can only get so far pointing and looking a bit busy.

[Dr. J]

It's ironic to see Hundredgranderson connected to poor Ronnie Whelan, who gave 15 years to the club, won tons of silver and never made any money whatsoever. He's still bitter about it, last I heard.

[KevieG]

It's ironic to see Hundredgranderson connected to poor Ronnie Whelan, who gave 15 years to the club, won tons of silver and never made any money whatsoever. He's still bitter about it, last I heard.

Dunno is he any more bitter than any of the other ex-pros who missed the gravy train. He seems to be doing ok for himself with media work and what not. Saw a piece on TV where he was interviewed in his house and he has it a lot better than most.

 

The 6 league medals probably provide some comfort.

[Ronnie Whelan]

Whelan was an outstanding player, not as outstanding as Souey but still brilliant. His equivalent today would get in pretty much any team here or in Europe - certainly your Barcas and Reals would be trying to snap him up in my opinion.

 

Henderson is a very decent player and was excellent last year. Right now, I view him as our younger equivalent of Michael Carrick. He's a long way to get to Whelan's level.

[Jennings]

Good article. Great title.

[Ronnie Whelan]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/04/17/article-2607046-02E95F5D000005DC-953_634x351.jpg

 

Love Rosenthal in this picture. I picture him head butting Stevie nicol and chinning ray houghton to get in the picture with the other lads!

[kirkbyred1]

Gutted when I heard Henderson signed for 5 more years. That's 5 more years of a shithouse gutless midfield we have to put up with.

 

We need some steel in the middle. Not fucking Henderson.

[Tony Moanero]

Gutted when I heard Henderson signed for 5 more years. That's 5 more years of a shithouse gutless midfield we have to put up with.

 

We need some steel in the middle. Not fucking Henderson.

Makes you come across as a complete and utter quim.

[kirkbyred1]

Makes you come across as a complete and utter quim.

quim? Are you a fucking wool

[Tony Moanero]

quim? Are you a fucking wool

Haha.... give over. What are you, some kind of professional Scouser? I bet you're one of those sad twats who exaggerates their accent, aren't you?

[stringvest]

Haha.... give over. What are you, some kind of professional Scouser? I bet you're one of those sad twats who exaggerates their accent, aren't you?

 

 

 

aaaaaannnddd baaaaaaaaaaaallll!

[Dr Nowt]

Gutted when I heard Henderson signed for 5 more years. That's 5 more years of a shithouse gutless midfield we have to put up with.

 

We need some steel in the middle. Not fucking Henderson.

 

Imagine how fucked off you'd be if he was replaced by a foreigner though.

[Stickman]

Ronnie Whelan was a brilliant player who also used to suffer stick from the boo boys till Kenny had the fantastic idea of playing him in centre midfield with McMahon a move which gets overlooked as it made that 88 team tick.

Also scorer of some fantastic goals a couple against the Mancs in cup games spring to mind (and an og against them as good as anything you'll see) . Also a player who could throw a tackle in, shame he didn't play in the 88 cup final as I think not only we'd have won but also he'd have sorted that prick Jones out.

If Henderson gets anywhere near Whelan's contribution and level he'll have done incredibly well.

[KevieG]

Ronnie Whelan was a brilliant player who also used to suffer stick from the boo boys till Kenny had the fantastic idea of playing him in centre midfield with McMahon a move which gets overlooked as it made that 88 team tick.

Also scorer of some fantastic goals a couple against the Mancs in cup games spring to mind (and an og against them as good as anything you'll see) . Also a player who could throw a tackle in, shame he didn't play in the 88 cup final as I think not only we'd have won but also he'd have sorted that prick Jones out.

If Henderson gets anywhere near Whelan's contribution and level he'll have done incredibly well.

 

Apparently Whelan was a fierce man for stamping on a players toes off the ball. Evening in training.

 

We could do with a bit of that.

[johnsusername]

I went on a work trip to Dublin with Ronnie Whelan (and the European Cup - this was January 2006 so post Istanbul) and spent most of the daytime with him. He was sound, funny and interesting. He showed us where he used to live and play footy in the streets by his house. Good fella all round, and didn't shut up! Spent about an hour with him in the hotel lobby drinking tea before he got interviewed by a local newspaper.

 

And he took a phonecall from Ian Rush, which is obviously brilliant.

 

I'd give anything to have Ronnie Whelan in our midfield now. F*ck - DAVE Whelan would probably improve our midfield.

 

I'm sure he is gutted about missing the football millions gravy train he's got every right to be - I am and I don't even play footy.

[Ronnie Whelan]

I remember a few nuggets on the Kop saying that Rush, Whelan, Nicol and Lawro would amount to nothing when they were beginning to replace the 70's stalwarts - a few months later Whelan was being voted young player of the year, Rushie was banging them in and well Lawro was just brilliant, while Nicol was a fucking incredible player. Fast forward to about 91' and the same nuggets were namechecking Nicol, Whelan and Rush along with big Jan as irreplaceable by the garbage that Souey was buying - unfortunately the nuggets were right that time.

 

If you were to give Whelan a season review rating for his seasons with us, he would have always been at least a 7 and a good few seasons an 8. For me, Jordan is currently a 7/10 at best..if he can take his game up a notch (big notch from being a 7/10 player to an 8/10 one), then we can begin to think of comparing him to Whelan. Right now, it's about as farcical as comparing Sturridge to Rushie or Sterling to Barnsie.

[dennis tooth]

Hes fucking shit. Admit it.

 

Whelan wouldnt wipe his arse on jordan.

 

A new leader who is as mediocre as our future yay lets celebrate his wedge rise and many more years of no trophys but lots of bland players and massive sponsorship deals. First is first 2nd is euphoria.

[moof]

It's as worrying as anything i can think of concerning the club that Jordan Henderson is to be our captain next year.