Here’s to you, Jordan Henderson
Jordan Henderson has been named player of the year by the Football Writers’ Association after leading Liverpool to their first league title in 30 years.
Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne received the second most votes.
Henderson played 30 games in Liverpool’s title victory, fulfilling a key role on the right of midfield, showing incredible leadership throughout the campaign.
The Reds’ captain becomes the third Liverpool player to win the award in seven years after Luis Suarez and Mohamed Salah.
Teammates Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mané came fourth and fifth, with Marcus Rashford ahead in third.
Among the ten other players to receive votes, there were a few surprises. Of course, Trent Alenxader-Arnold was among the top ten, as was Raheem Sterling. But so were Jonny Evans and Aaron Wan-Bissaka – very reminiscent of Roy Hodgson voting for Javier Mascherano for the Ballon d’Or.
“As grateful as I am I don’t feel like I can accept this on my own,” Henderson said.
“I don’t feel like anything I’ve achieved this season or in fact during my whole career has been done on my own.
“I owe a lot to so many different people – but none more so than my current teammates – who have just been incredible and deserve this every bit as much as I do.
“We’ve only achieved what we’ve achieved because every single member of our squad has been brilliant and not just in matches. Not just in producing the moments that make the headlines and the back pages but every day in training.
“If anything I hope those who voted for me did so partly to recognise the entire team’s contribution. Individual awards are nice and they are special and I will cherish this one. But an individual award without the collective achievement wouldn’t mean anywhere as much to me – if anything at all.”
