{"id":97410,"date":"2023-09-05T14:59:51","date_gmt":"2023-09-05T14:59:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/09\/05\/jordan-henderson-really-hurt-by-criticism-of-saudi-arabia-transfer\/"},"modified":"2023-09-05T14:59:51","modified_gmt":"2023-09-05T14:59:51","slug":"jordan-henderson-really-hurt-by-criticism-of-saudi-arabia-transfer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/09\/05\/jordan-henderson-really-hurt-by-criticism-of-saudi-arabia-transfer\/","title":{"rendered":"Jordan Henderson ‘really hurt’ by criticism of Saudi Arabia transfer"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Jordan Henderson made 492 appearances for Liverpool before his summer move to Al-Ettifaq
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England midfielder Jordan Henderson says he was \u201creally hurt\u201d after being criticised for joining Al-Ettifaq.<\/p>\n

Henderson, who\u00a0moved to the Saudi club from Liverpool\u00a0in July, has been a vocal ally of the LGBTQ+ community.<\/p>\n

His move has been criticised by some LGBTQ+ campaigners, as same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n

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\u201cMy intention was never, ever to hurt anyone. My intention has always been to help causes and communities,\u201d\u00a0Henderson told the Athletic.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do care about different causes that I\u2019ve been involved in and different communities\u2026 I do care. And for people to criticise and say that I\u2019d turned my back on them really, really hurt me.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll I can say is that I apologise, I\u2019m sorry that I\u2019ve made them feel that way. But I haven\u2019t changed as a person.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 33-year-old wrote a long piece for the Liverpool matchday programme in November 2021, expressing support for Stonewall\u2019s Rainbow Laces campaign.<\/p>\n

With his Saudi switch, Henderson has reunited with former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard, who was\u00a0appointed manager of Al-Ettifaq in July.<\/p>\n

Henderson said: \u201cI\u2019ve gone above and beyond to help [the LGBTQ+ community]. I\u2019ve worn the laces. I\u2019ve worn the armband. I\u2019ve spoken to people in that community to try to use my profile to help them. That\u2019s all I\u2019ve ever tried to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I hear stuff like, \u2018You\u2019ve turned your back on us\u2019, that hurts me. I do care. I have family and friends in the LGBTQ+ community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Liverpool\u2019s LGBTQ+ fan group Kop Outs urged Henderson to \u201cstand by your words as a professed ally & champion of #LGBT+ rights, of women\u2019s rights and of basic human dignity\u201d after he agreed the move to Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n

The group has reacted to his latest interview with a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying: \u201cThis sounds more like an attempt to rebuild his \u2018brand\u2019, sorry isn\u2019t good enough, actions speak louder than words.\u201d<\/p>\n

Henderson said he would not rule out wearing rainbow laces in Saudi Arabia, insisting the gesture aligns with his values but does not want to be disrespectful.<\/p>\n

When his switch to Al-Ettifaq was announced, the club released a welcome video on social media with a montage of Henderson\u2019s career, but it appeared that his rainbow armband had been greyed out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know anything about it until it was out,\u201d Henderson said. \u201cIt\u2019s hard for me to know and understand everything because it is part of the religion.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo if I wear the rainbow armband if that disrespects their religion, then that\u2019s not right either. Everybody should be respectful of religion and culture.\u201d<\/p>\n

Talking about what persuaded him to head to Saudi Arabia, Henderson said he was attracted by the prospect of trying to grow the game he loves in another country and said nothing would change by criticising another country from afar while burying \u201cour heads in the sand\u201d.<\/p>\n

Henderson added: \u201cI think people know what my views and values were before I left and still do now. And I think having someone with those views and values in Saudi Arabia is only a positive thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018I did not feel wanted\u2019<\/h3>\n

Henderson joined Liverpool from his boyhood club Sunderland in 2011 and went on to make 492 appearances, becoming captain and winning seven major titles, including the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and EFL Cup.<\/p>\n

His position at the club came under the spotlight after failing to secure a regular starting role under Jurgen Klopp in the 2022-23 campaign.<\/p>\n

The arrivals of\u00a0Dominik Szoboszlai\u00a0and\u00a0Alexis Mac Allister\u00a0early in the summer transfer window suggested the skipper\u2019s game time would continue to be limited this season, and he no longer felt secure in his position at the club.<\/p>\n

Henderson said: \u201cIf one of those people [at Liverpool] said to me, \u2018Now we want you to stay\u2019, then we wouldn\u2019t be having this conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, that\u2019s not to say that they forced me out of the club or they were saying they wanted me to leave but at no point did I feel wanted by the club or anyone to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Money not the motivation\u2019<\/h3>\n

Henderson has joined some of football\u2019s biggest names by moving to Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n

Five-time Ballon d\u2019Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo was the first notable figure to make the switch when he\u00a0left Manchester United for Al Nassr\u00a0in December 2022.<\/p>\n

Al-Ittihad boast a star-studded squad with former Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema and France World Cup winner N\u2019Golo Kante among their ranks, while they are still hoping to snap up Liverpool star Mohamed Salah.<\/p>\n

Roberto Firmino, who left Liverpool after his contract expired, plays alongside Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and former Manchester winger Riyad Mahrez with Al-Ahli.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Brazil international Neymar, former Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves and ex-Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly turn out for Al-Hilal, although they failed to secure the services of Paris St-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe after lodging a world record \u00a3259m bid.<\/p>\n

Reports suggested Henderson was being paid \u00a3700,000-per-week \u2013 four times what he was earning at Liverpool \u2013 but he denied those claims.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople can believe me or not, but in my life and my career, money has never been a motivation. Ever,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

England ambition remains the same<\/h3>\n
\"Jordan
Jordan Henderson made his England debut against France in 2010<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Since moving to Al-Ettifaq Henderson has featured four times, winning three games and drawing one with his new club, but his focus this week has turned to international football after being\u00a0named in Gareth Southgate\u2019s England squad\u00a0for fixtures against Ukraine and Scotland.<\/p>\n

The Three Lions face Ukraine in Poland on Saturday in a Euro 2024 qualifier and take on Scotland in a friendly at Hampden Park on 12 September.<\/p>\n

Henderson has made 77 appearances for England and felt staying at Liverpool without regular football may have impacted his hopes of staying in Southgate\u2019s plans, especially with next summer\u2019s European Championship in mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cI spoke to the manager, who was very good. It wasn\u2019t so much to check because I knew I didn\u2019t really want to put him in the position where he would guarantee that I\u2019d be playing for England. He couldn\u2019t do that,\u201d Henderson said.<\/p>\n

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