Saudi pro league chief fires dig at jordan henderson after england squad failure

JORDAN HENDERSON SPENT LESS THAN SIX MONTHS IN THE SAUDI PRO LEAGUE WITH AL-ETTIFAQ BEFORE MOVING TO AJAX AND ULTIMATELY MISSING OUT ON SELECTION FOR ENGLAND'S EURO 2024 SQUAD 15:06, 29

May 2024Updated 15:07, 29 May 2024 Saudi Pro League chief football executive Michael Emenalo believes Jordan Henderson's swift exit from the country was more negative for the player

than the division itself. The former Chelsea technical director believes that the midfielder's departure froom Al-Ettifaq was damaging on a personal level after just a matter of months

in the Middle East. Emenalo admitted he was unable to convince Henderson to remain in Saudi Arabia rather than complete a transfer to Ajax. Henderson drew widespread criticism when making

the move to Al-Ettifaq from Liverpool last summer. Arriving in a £12million deal with wages of £350,000-a-week, the 33-year-old stood accused of betraying what he stood for as an ambassador

for LGBTQ rights. At the time of his switch to Ajax, Henderson described his second move within six months as a 'football decision'. Emenalo suggests it was more complicated than

that, but hinted aspirations for his England career could have played a factor - ultimately Henderson was not named in Gareth Southgate's preliminary squad. READ MORE: Watch the

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Emenalo told the Telegraph: “It wasn’t damaging at all for the league. It was damaging on a personal level because this is someone that we all admired and we tried our very best to help him

adapt and to stay. “But sometimes these things are just beyond your own needs and just beyond professional. Jordan did a lot of good work here, did a lot of good work for Ettifaq and had

inputs in ideas that have transformed that club and had an opportunity to know the country and the culture. Article continues below “If you ask him privately now, he will tell you that he

had no issues. But sometimes there is a confluence of things happening that makes individuals make a decision that I think is best for them. “I felt that is a guy who’s an ultra-professional

and who had built a career, a magnificent, magnificent career through becoming Liverpool captain, England captain and maybe to, in his mind, he had an idea of how he wanted to finish. “And

maybe at some point in the course of the season he just felt that he is not going to get that. That’s something that you have to respect and it’s not something that I agree with because I

really admire him and I had a one-on-one with him to try to [persuade him to stay].” Al-Ettifaq boss Steven Gerrard was disappointed to lose his captain partway through the season. The

Liverpool legend also hinted at a combination of England aspirations and Henderson's personal life playing a role. "I respected his decision because I love him as a guy, I love him

as a player and I have nothing but ultimate respect for him," said Gerrard. Article continues below "If someone has some family things that are affecting him. If someone has got

different outside goals or opportunities, like England for example, then I have to respect that and understand it. And I do. But was I disappointed? Of course, I was.” _JOIN OUR NEW WHATSAPP

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