The selection of Jordan Henderson has become the most important point of conversation of the English team of Thomas Tuchel, with a feeling to look back instead of the new Three Lions -Baas.
Henderson has been in the spotlight in his own country and internationally since he was last chosen for England in November 2023, shortly after his controversial move to Saudi Pro League side Al ITTAQ after his release from Liverpool.
The current Ajax captain was already booed during the previous round of international competitions when he was replaced in a friendly with Australia, but it was generally believed that his international career was over after he had made a single team since the international friendly matches with Brazil and Belgium a year ago.
So why does Tuchel, a man with little time to build a team who is able to win the World Cup of next summer – when his contract as a head coach ends – did he now decide to put his confidence in the 34 -year -old?
'I was not surprised [he was called up]”Ajax boss Francesco Farioli told Sky Sports after his selection.” He is a player who can bring many things.
“The age, the passport, these are only factors because it is not something that decreases with its mentality and his professionalism.
“Now England has been rebuilt and is building a new story, I think they certainly need these kinds of players and especially people.”
Tuchel can and has already pointed to the qualities of Henderson as a leader in a team, including 15 players with fewer than 10 senior caps, and most of his defense of the 34-year-old selection focused on his personal qualities.
He has labeled a “serial winner” the ex-liverpool skipper, who has won both the Champions League and the Premier League at Anfield, and said he is increasing the standards around him. Not to mention his 81 English caps, only third for Kyle Walker and Harry Kane in the current team.
That is something that was a characteristic of Henderson's career. You do not supply Jurgen Klopp team, unless you lead and set a good example.
Yet that may not be enough to pacify the frustrations that Adam Wharton, Kobbie Mainoo and Conor Gallagher must have, especially when all three were mentioned in the 26-man team for last summer's euros and the last scored against Real Madrid in a Champions League-Knock-out game last week.
Henderson cannot claim that he will play on the same standard as one of that trio, or that he is at the same level as he was at its peak. But Tuchel is not a fool, and although the selection of the midfielder is understandably divided, logic is behind it.
In a team in England with only three conventional central midfielders – and Jude Bellingham has hardly played there since he came to Real Madrid – there is a good chance that Henderson will at least have a lot of playing time against Albania and Latvia during the international break.
With that in mind there is no chance that Tuchel Henderson only chose his temperament, and make his statistics in the Eredivisie impressive reading this season.
Despite the fact that he returns to a no. 6 role under Farioli, he plays more as an All-Action midfielder than ever, the ball regularly wins in his own third than almost any other central midfielder in the competition, but also has the fourth highest percentage of completed passes in the last third part.
The Ajax team that he leads is clearly six points at the top of Eredivisie, something in itself that deserves more credit than it will receive, especially for the fate to turn a club that endured such a tumultuous season in 2023/24.
Whether that or not can transfer to rebuilt bridges with the English support at Wembley in the coming week a tough question feels, but for now he is Tuchel's husband.
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