Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson is prepared to be patient in his determination to prove he is not a big-money flop at Anfield.
The 22-year-old arrived from Sunderland in the summer of 2011 with a hefty £16million price tag. As a result he has been lumped in with the rest of former manager Kenny Dalglish's expensive signings - mainly Andy Carroll (£35million) and Stewart Downing (£20million) - for failing to provide value for money.
Dalglish being replaced by Brendan Rodgers in the summer has not helped and with Carroll sent out on loan to West Ham Henderson and Downing have been only bit-part players. But Henderson told Press Association Sport: "I am very focused on what I need to do and it doesn't make a difference what anyone else thinks."
He added: "From the outside it probably looks like that because of how much I played last year and this season I haven't started a Premier League game. But I am coming into training every day, working hard and learning all the things I need to learn and I will continue to learn the game as the manager keeps telling me.
"I want my future to be at Liverpool so I'll give everything every day to make sure that happens. It is hard. It is not easy to think long term, especially when I've played a lot of games in the Premier League considering my age.
"Now I'm 22 and I'm not playing as regularly as I would like to but, then again, I have got to take on board what the people are saying around me to try to improve myself as a player. I definitely think in the future, given the opportunity I will take it and become a first-team regular for Liverpool."
Henderson's move to Anfield has not been the smoothest as, even when he was playing regularly under Dalglish, it was rarely in his preferred central role. Often he was stationed out on the right and both last season and this he has made an appearance at full-back.
Henderson is likely to get a run out on Thursday as the Europa League Group A leaders face Anzi Makhachkala - whom they beat a fortnight ago at Anfield - having previously made five starts in seven matches in the competition.
He said: "Obviously I want to be playing games in the Premier League but if I keep putting in good performances I am sure my chance will come some time soon and it is up to me to take it.
"This is a massive opportunity for me to give the manager food for thought, stand up and be counted and show that I am fighting and I want to play in every game I can."
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport ... 35018.html
Der er krummer i knægten. Andre unge englændere kunne lære meget af Hendersons attitude og professionalisme. Kan han blive en kende mere selvsikker på banen og tage flere risikobetonede valg, så tror jeg, at han vil blive en vigtig brik i årene fremover og en rigtig publikums yndling.