JORDAN HENDERSON’S early success at Brentford should come as no surprise to anyone in the game.
Eyebrows were raised when the Bees brought the 35-year-old back to the Premier League after his time in Saudi Arabia and Amsterdam.
Especially so after a summer where they lost their manager, captain and two star strikers.
But if I was looking to sign players over the summer just gone, he would have been right at the top of my list, too.
Signing a veteran like Henderson might not be sexy but he is going to play a huge part in keeping Brentford in the Premier League this year, something I reckon they will manage.
After all that change in the summer, having someone you can depend on is vital.
You know what you’re getting with Jordan: an absolutely top-class professional.
He was the man who captained Liverpool to win the title.
You’ve only got to look and listen to the way he conducts himself.
He’ll be in every day, training properly and setting the standards to everyone — young and old.
Those players are absolutely invaluable when things are going well and — as they always do at some point — not so well.
The staff and squad will be able to call on his experience and know-how in those moments.
You do not have the career he has had, playing so much for England and winning silverware with Liverpool, without being a good person, a good family man and a dedicated player.
He is going to be a fantastic influence around the place and among the players. The dressing room can be very difficult. You’re not in there all the time as a manager.
You need someone in there that you can rely on, that you know is going to keep everybody in check.
I had a few older players in my time at Portsmouth and it is not always easy to convince fans or owners that you are doing the right thing — but they make such a difference.
When we were making that final push for promotion I signed Paul Merson (34), Steve Stone (31) and Tim Sherwood (33).
Once we were in the Premier League I also brought in Teddy Sheringham, who was 37 by then.
I went for players that you knew were great professionals but could also come in and do a job.
PREM’S PRESSURE POINT
PREMIER LEAGUE managers all know what they sign up for, but some of the sackings and noise so early this season is crazy.
We have already seen Nuno Espirito Santo sacked by Nottingham Forest and go on to replace Graham Potter after he was axed at West Ham.
Ange Postecoglou, who took Nuno’s place at Forest, is already facing a fan revolt and calls for him to be given the boot.
They have certainly had a very bad start to his reign, that can’t be denied. But he also cannot be expected to walk in and have an instant impact — there have been so many games that he has had no time to have any sort of influence.
There can be no argument against the fact that Forest overachieved last season.
One or two of the players have lost form, one or two have left.
He’s got a big job on his hands and has to be judged over the season.
Enzo Maresca has faced some rumblings over his future at Chelsea, too.
The knee-jerk reactions to a couple of results are madness. He has got key players missing, even though they have a massive squad. Even when everyone is fit, Chelsea have a problem there as well.
They have got too many players. I could never tell you their best team — there are two players for every position and not much between any of them.
That sounds great, but it will be very hard to pick a team and keep everyone happy.
If things stay bad at some clubs and changes are made in January, no problem. But it is very unfair to be piling the pressure on managers now.
They were players who had been there and done it at the top.
Like Henderson, Sherwood had captained a team to the Premier League title when he was at Blackburn Rovers.
When you are in tough spots you need people you can rely on and that the players will look up to and respect instantly.
Henderson has also shown he is not just an old head.
There have been flashes of quality — like his assist against Chelsea — as Brentford have claimed a couple of early scalps.
He is still in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad and, for me, should absolutely be going to the World Cup next summer.
Gareth Southgate left Henderson out of his plans for the last Euros but the midfielder has been to six major tournaments with the Three Lions and will know all about the ebbs and flows of those summers.
I can’t sit here and say he should start but he certainly won’t be a mascot.
You’ve got a lot of young players going to a big tournament for the first time and he will be a leader.
It is going to be a World Cup like no other before it, with far more games and some dodgy weather if the Club World Cup is anything to go by.
He will keep everybody upbeat if and when it’s not going well.
And if he is needed on the pitch, you know he can deliver what the manager wants.
There is a long way to go with the Bees before he starts thinking about next summer, however.
But he will never be one to get ahead of himself and will only be focused on Manchester City today.
Keith Andrews is always someone I thought would make a good manager and Brentford have four points from home games against Chelsea and Manchester United.
City arriving in west London are a very different challenge but you know, with people like Henderson around, they will work hard and keep it tight.
If they can take a point from that one, they will be delighted.
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