Ajax, which plays in the main league of Dutch football announced on Thursday having signed a midfielder who played in Saudi Arabia Jordan Henderson with a two and a half year contract.
Henderson, who has been rehabilitated as an advocate for sexual minorities, shuddered in July when he moved from Liverpool to Al-Ettifaq, which plays in the Saudi Arabian premier league, on a lucrative three-year contract.
In Saudi Arabia, same-sex intercourse is a crime punishable by death.
Henderson denied that he went after the money and justified his move by the fact that Liverpool, which had strengthened its midfield, would not have been allowed playing time in the previous model. The feel of the game would be important in view of next summer’s European Championships. Henderson has seen the captain’s armband on his arm both in Liverpool and in the England shirt.
The British star’s time in Saudi Arabia ended up being half a year. The results were also weaker than expected. Al-Ettifaq, which is in eighth place in the league, has won only six of its 19 league matches, the most recent of which was in October.
Henderson, who wore the captain’s armband, had four assists in 17 matches. He was said to have had difficulties with the heat, humidity and playing conditions.
Al-Ettifaq’s matches have been watched by an average of less than 8,000 spectators, while the club’s stadium could accommodate 35,000 people. In some of Al-Ettifaq’s matches, there have only been six hundred spectators. At Henderson’s former club Liverpool, the average attendance at home games last season was over 53,000.
Henderson and Al-Ettifaq terminated the player’s contract this week. Henderson said on Friday that he moved to Ajax for footballing reasons. The family also played a role.
– Many would like me to criticize the Saudi League and everything related to it, but that’s really not what it’s about, and I’m not going to do that, Henderson said.
– I respect the series, the fans and the club completely. They made us feel welcome. Sometimes things unfortunately don’t work out in football and in life.
The British newspaper Telegraph says, that Henderson has not yet received the salary he earned at Al-Ettifaq, and may not receive it in the future. The reason for deferring the payments is apparently at least partly due to the fiscal limitations of the time spent in Britain.
A lost reputation?
Some football fans feel that Henderson’s exemplary reputation returning to Europe has been permanently tarnished.
– I don’t think he could just go back and hope that things would just be forgotten about, member of Three Lions Pride, a supporter’s group of England’s national team made up of sexual minorities Khya Gott said for the BBC.
– Other than sexual minorities are also disappointed, Gott said and referred to the friendly match between England and Australia played in October, where the audience your boo For Henderson.
A minor league soccer player belonging to a sexual minority Joe Thompson according to Henderson’s time as a role model has passed.
– If Henderson says he regrets the transfer, he may get some respect back, but many people just can’t see him in the same light anymore, Thompson said.
Henderson apologized for the upset he caused at Friday’s press conference.
– I apologize, as I did six months ago. That was never my intention. I haven’t changed as a person, I still believe in the same things, Henderson said.
Will there be others?
Henderson is the first returnee of the top names who moved to Saudi Arabia. However, more may be coming, as many others have also been unhappy in the new environment.
Those who moved to the Arabian Peninsula are busy among other things, the heat, cultural differences and the approaching European Championships.
For example, the former star striker of Real Madrid Karim Benzema are said to be in the starting pits over Al-Ittihad, who are seventh in the league.
Benzema, who won the Golden Ball for the best player in the world in 2022, returned to his club from the winter break 17 days lateand was not available to the club management for ten days.
Also at least Ruben Neves, Roberto Firmino and Something has been reported to want out of the Saudi League.
Instead, at the end of 2022, he moved to Al-Nassr Cristiano Ronaldo I don’t think playing in Saudi Arabia is any funnier. He even went so far as to say that the league stands up to the French Premier League.
Athletic confirmation
The early season of Ajax, one of the big Dutch clubs, was historically weak. It won only one of its first eight matches and was in the jumbo positions of the series.
Having started as head coach in October by John van’t Schip under him, the course has turned, and the team is fifth in the Eredivisie. The difference with the top team PSV is 21 points.
According to Van’t Schip, the experienced Henderson is a welcome addition to the injury-plagued team.
– We wanted an experienced type of leader who can step into the ring immediately. His arrival is a huge addition to the team. A guy of this level is important to our young players on and off the field, van’t Schip said.
Ajax supporter and member of the local LQBT community Scott Stuurman assesses that the transfer is good for the club from a sporting point of view. He would not like to see captain’s armbands or shoelaces supporting sexual minorities at Henderson.
– I would like them to be held by someone who really supports us, Stuurman said.