11 Jan 2015

Lawro tells BR: Forget Hendo - €14m 'battler' should be LFC's next captain because he has 'more leadership qualities'

Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson is seemingly nailed-on to become Liverpool's next captain, but Anfield legend Mark Lawrenson insists that Hendo is not the right choice to lead the team.

Last week, Reds boss Brendan Rodgers hinted at Hendo's imminent anointment, and after Liverpool's 1-0 victory over Sunderland, the manager left little room for doubt over his preferred choice to succeed Gerrard. He told reporters:

“You saw his leadership and his power. When Steven isn’t on the field, he is a real leader for us and there is no question he can go on and become captain at the club.”

Discussing the captaincy issue in his Liverpool Echo column today, Lawro claimed that it's 'unfair' to place the 'burden' of leadership on Hendo, and suggested a different option:

"I wouldn’t give it [the captaincy] to Henderson. We have other players with more leadership qualities. Martin Skrtel is one. He plays almost every game, could handle the responsibility and it would help him communicate more.

"He is a battler, too. Look at the Arsenal game. He got stood on the head by Olivier Giroud but there was no way he was going to go off, instead staying on to head home a late equaliser".


I suggested Skrtel in an article earlier this week, so I totally agree with this. After Gerrard, the Slovakian is one of the most senior players in the squad; he's paid his dues, and after six years at the club, he's arguably earned the right to lead the team.

Plus, after being dumped for Jamie Carragher last season, €14m-rated Skrtel showed real strength of character and admirable attitude to fight his way back to being Liverpool's number-one centre-half. In that time, the Reds have spent £45m on three different central defenders, yet Skrtel remains the one constant in the heart of defence.

Alas, I can't see this happening. Judging by the constant effusive praise over the last two years, Henderson is clearly a Rodgers favourite, whereas - given the chance - he probably wouldn't hesitate to sell Skrtel to the highest bidder.

Some players buckle under the pressure of captaincy, and that consequently hurts their performance. Is that a risk with Henderson, as Lawro seems to suggest?

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91 comments:

  1. Look at the Arsenal game. Yes, look at it!!! The skipper is supposed to cost us points?!?
    Hendo hasn't been the best he can be this season, but still is the best man for the job right now.

    And Sakho will soon be the vice captain, I hope. Ironically his flare might be the reason to become that or to leave the club..
    So sad not having Agger for the next season...

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  2. Now when I think about it, the whole team should have worn it...

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  3. Andy Tate- 'look out, united are making a title charge!'
    Hahahaha

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  4. He is worth £15m + addons at most in my opinion

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  5. I would have to think it's between Skrtel and Hendo. The only problem I have with Skrtel is his lack of definitive leadership on the field though. We need a defensive marshall, someone to keep the back line in check. Skrtel, try as he might, just hasn't stepped up. How can we make someone who can't even lead the back line the leader of the entire team?

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  6. Can. turtle is bang average, an accident waiting to happen.

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  7. I (controversially perhaps) went for Lucas. My reasoning being, our results have been better when he's played this season, he excels in a role which demands self sacrifice for the good of the team, he is often quoted looking after younger teammates and he seems like a really good lad. The other reason being I'm not convinced by the others.

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  8. Skrtel is just not a leader and he never has been. He is an absolute warrior and certainly works his butt off but his communication is terrible...that is why he was dropped for Carragher a few years ago...Liverpool needed someone to control the backline and Skrtel just wasn't doing it....and neither was Agger! That is the main reason that we bought Lovren although he has proved to be a terrible buy(to date)! Just because Skrtel has been here for a number of years does not mean that he should be made captain. I would pick Lallana over Skrtel any day and I would certainly pick Henderson instead of either of them.

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  9. Hasn't Carragher slated Skrtel for his lack of leadership qualities? Seems a strange choice to me too.

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  10. Jaimie, How come everyone follows your motion all the time?

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  11. Henderson ,Sakho or Lallana
    Skrtel needs to be eventually replaced by a center half like Varane which has pace. Lucas does not have long term future either

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  12. A bit left-field. But I would go for Can. Always supported his colleagues when benched. I think he has the potential to be an SG.

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  13. I can see Hendo turning into a leader for both LFC and England but I also see more experienced and complete candidates for the armband next season. Skrtel is the captain of his national team. Sakho captained PSG at 17 years of age before the billionaires took over. Lallana captained Southampton. Lucas captained gremio at 19 where he won best Brazilian player, also the Brazilian u20 and u21 squads. Kolo Toure has the most experience in the whole squad. So we don't really lack leadership qualities. I think it would feel right for the more experienced players to 'hang on' to the armband for Hendo until he has some consistent seasons for both LFC and England for which he hasn't featured as much as others his age. His only experience at being a captain has been for the u21, which isn't bad but he needs to grow out of his shell I think. Maybe when Gerrard finally does leave Hendo would no longer have anyone to look to and may automatically start taking on more responsibility on the pitch before eventually taking the armband.

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  14. Very good reasoning. Who is your choice at the moment?

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  15. Well Jamie obviously BR wants to set a leader for the following years and not just for this or next season, for the moment Hendo fits well this role.

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  16. Hendo is not psychologically strong enough. He's a confidence player who could grow into the role. The role Hendo plays he needs to start scoring more especially important goals before he commands the respect. IMO he hides in tough games.

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  17. I remember those days only too well. Stood on the Kop through them. Sammy Lee, Jimmy Case, Phil Thompson, Alan Kennedy, Emlyn Hughes, Brian Hall, Alex Lyndsay, John Toshack ... and the rest. We've never been a club of Galacticos , honest footballers who've understood playing for Liverpool, and then the flair players who came to Liverpool and made their name here. Not at some other club and bought for a fortune

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  18. Well taking longevity and loyalty into account then yes it would be Hendo long term. But there have been short term captains at other clubs during transitional periods. Agger was made vice only to be shipped of a few months later which is until today still ceasing to make any sense. I think Kolo for the next 1-2 years, then Hendo for the next 5-6. Kolo is a proven title winner and a proven leader. His experience in the Premiership stands him in good stead compared to others. He doesn't necessarilly need the arm band to lead, just like Gerrard did when Carragher wore it. But I think he would do the armband more justice than Hendo right now who I still think has a tendancy to hide when the going gets tough. It just looks like a seamless transition to go to Toure. What do you think?

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  19. This comment is off point of this post but one of the biggest mistakes during the transfer window in 2013 was NOT signing Victor Wanyama. He is a very underrated defensively strong midfielder who is quick on his feet and strong on the ball. Should have signed him and nukes Allen straight away. I would take him now if there was any chance of getting him, which there isn't. You have to admire their front office for consistently getting it right........

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  20. Skrtel doesn't lead the defence! How will he lead the entire team?!!

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  21. I see Sakho in the future as the captain, and for right now- Hendo. He won't hide as much with Gerrard out of the team and his working ethic is something to admire to. Giving it all in every minute of every game is the first thing I look in the captain. And yes, I wouldn't mind Toure right now...

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  22. Skrtel is tough but not a leader in the back from a communication point of view and therefore doesn't seem a good choice as a team leader. That said, I love his physicality and scrappiness.....

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  23. Anger leaving makes more sense now then ever. He has only managed to play 8 games out of 17 due to injury and that is the Danish league.

    Agger has admitted himself in an interview shortly after leaving Liverpool that he could no longer cope with the pace and physicality of the Premiership.

    I am getting fed of people saying that we should not of let him go.

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  24. Spot on orme. Skrtel's defending doesn't match football league standard. Never understand all the hype around this player. Yes, He's a battler, but aside that He's really poor on defending. He rescued a Point Against arsenal, but He cost us two sloppy goals against them. Hope that one day finale Brendan We'll rate Skrtel for what he is: no more than one Good enough to sit on the bench. Hendo is a fantastic engine and He' the natural choice for the caiptancy.

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  25. How can anybody say Skrtel would make a good captain when he can't even lead our defence

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  26. orme has never been right in his life.

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  27. Nowhere near ready to be our captain yet

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  28. Skrtel should arguably be replaced so it would make no sense.

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  29. He has slated him in numerous ways.

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  30. He gets to vote as many times as he wants ;p

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  31. For 10-12 mil I would take Berahino but not for the 20-25 mil that's been getting banded about

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  32. I don't care what anyone says. Henderson is the worse player in the liverpool team. As soon as we get rid of him which we won't. The better.

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  33. You mean United there?

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  34. Prety sure nobody cares what what you say..

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  35. Up vote

    I felt that needed two up votes.

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  36. I wish I hadn't read it.

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  37. Не сам превео

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  38. Now you lost me.. Google translate?

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  39. waiting to be approved by
    Now you lost me.. Google translate?

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  40. How I hate this approval system...

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  41. You mean the up votes?

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  42. I doubt anyone would sign him for more than 2m. So why are we selling? Just keep him for god sakes.

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  43. My reply on your Serbian language is down there waiting to be approved...

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  44. Ahh. Yeah I hate when that happens. Perhaps Jaimie is worries we are conspiring against him. It just happens sometimes. A pain though.

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  45. So how did you come up with cyrillics, google translate?

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  46. I found the words that get caught in the word filter I think...

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  47. I know s c u m is one of them. Probably some swear words too.

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  48. I found the words that get caught in the word filter I think...
    First world most popular net browser, and the second one verb transforming from a language to another... Is that how you wrote that post on Serbian?

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  49. Yes it is. We have a lot of brothers ans sisters and that most famous and slightly evil net browser help me understand what's being said.

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  50. Yes. When you think of the causes they get T shirts printed for the least they could have done was to wear black armbands

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  51. That was no time for a toilet break ;-)

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  52. Achieving top four is the main aim of this season, if it means over spending on a couple of players to help us achieve that, then so be it. All our main competitors have awesome strikers, we have very little quality, we need it now not in the summer.

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  53. oh please play the Liverpool way. We dont even play the Liverpool way. We try to play total football which was invented by a Dutchman

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  54. I didn't actually know that. I haven't even bothered to follow up about how he's doing at Denmark. I only keep hearing about the digs he's been taking at Brendan about selling him off without any remorse. The thing is when Agger was made vice and he got YNWA tattooed on his knuckles, everyone thought that after Steve he'd be the man, then after 4-5 months he was out the window... I guess that's what was the most confusing thing. It's true that his legs were made practically of glass though, but when he's fit, he was constantly linked with Man City, A.C. Milan and Barca so he was an elite level defender.

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  55. Top comment. Saving money now is not going to get us top four this season, or even top five.

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  56. I agree fully. My main concern is that the ballance is gone and if we are left with what is currently there, it will take a long time to restore it

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  57. Nothing against Berahino, but if we only bring in one striker this January I'd prefer it to be somebody like Lacazette, who would cost more because he's better and is in better form.

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  58. Rooney doesn't get his "incidents" reported? Are you serious?
    So do you think Gary Lineker and co are sitting befor MOTD going "That black lad looks a bit confident! Let's start a smear campaign about him, that'll take him down a peg or two..." I seriously doubt it

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  59. Listen if juve take mad Mario for 14 and West brom really aren't in a good negotiation stand we could snap him up for 14-16m.
    Does he fit us better than Mario? Or course.
    Could we get better in the summer? Maybe.
    But right now we need goals and points to chase down top 4. Comparative 2m send for 5-10 goals could be worth it.

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  60. I voted 'Yes' but I don't necessarily want LFC to sell him "ASAP". Just wouldn't particularly mind if he goes. But I don't mind if he stays either, provided we sign a new striker anyway.

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  61. "Allen" is correct.



    *slow clap*

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  62. Yes very true but I didn't buy him, he clearly isn't a number one striker currently. If we are lucky we can get some potent strikers to shoot us up the table.

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  63. I said "I don't see players like Jack Wilshere or Rooney getting their off field incidents reported in MOTD flagship program for English football."

    I think the problem is that people don't think, they grow up within the framework of these stereotypes. Years ago it would be blacks players can't play in the cold weather and of course over time that has been made mockery of. But the attitude problem accusation is still thrown out there when you see confident black footballers/sportsmen/women doing well. Just google one of those name with attitude problem and see what you get.

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  64. If Juve, a team who will believe they can make the Champions League final, take Mario for 14 then we really have to ask ourselves whether we can't, in fact, make him realise his potential with us instead.

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  65. I thought Sakho should have been in the poll definitely a better option than Lovren and captains France.

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  66. Loved that post

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  67. Its not just about selling the club to them, its the City also, not many warm blooded foreigners want to live in a City where it rains, snows, has cold winds for 9 months a year.

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  68. skertls destiny is back up

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  69. Jones contract expires this summer, he will sit tight collect his money each week, and then let his agent get a club, and a signing on fee for him in the summer.

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  70. Juve want Mario on loan, and us to pay half his wages, true.

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  71. I do like Lucas but the biggest problem is that in spite of the fact that we seem to get more points with him in the team...Brendan doesn't like him!

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  72. The Liverpool way is not about a style of football, if you paid attention you'd know that, but instead you want to make stupid comments.... The Liverpool way is an ethic, hardwork, teamwork, fairplay.. Its about understanding you are apart of something bigger... You should read up on your Shanks and Paisly... Then you will know what the Liverpool way people talk about means.

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  73. I'm not black, but I get what he means. And it's not even about playing the race card, it's a fact... the reaction Lewis Hamilton got at the last race, when he said he was gonna drive it like he stole it, ( I found it hilarious and a great indicator that the kid has more about him than most uptight F1 drivers) but the comment was frowned upon by the likes of Brundle etc... Gerrard has had his fair share of naughty moments, but more attention is paid to Sterlings...Half the time I don't think they realise they are doing it, but they do it non the less.

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  74. Henderson couldn't lead a dehydrated dog to water.The players need someone that they have respect for,and even though they give some respect to henderson it's not enough.How do you respect a player that has less football skills then yourself?Henderson is the sideways,and back passer to rival all,it's a rarity or fluke if he takes on a player and wins.He has no self control when he gives away a free kick or throw in,instead screams out like a girl because it didn't go his way.Is that the kind of captain Liverpool deserve?No,he's still a average player at best and always has been.

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  75. That would make me sad, if it happened.

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  76. So Falcao stormed away from Old Trafford before the match after discovering he'd been left out of the squad against Southampton. Hmm.


    Worth a cheeky bid?

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  77. Henderson couldn't lead a dehydrated dog to water.How do you except a captain that has less skills then you do,and screams out like a little child if things don't go his way when he gives away a free kick or throw in.He also doesn't inspire anyone when he continually passes sideways and backwards,it's a rarity if he takes on a player and wins.Henderson is a average player at best,and always has been.He has no captain qualities, and,if not for Rodgers being madly in love with him,would be lucky to be in the team.

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  78. I for got to put in my comment that i would also share the captaincy for now,and in doing that we might find a captain who deserves to be there.

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  79. I will go with Lucas too

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  80. u must be confused ? where did i say u bought him

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  81. then perhaps you need to show some more faith?

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  82. no i think you are confused. the man i agreeing with you that he was expensive, he is also saying that the transfer fee doesn't bother him as it wasn't out of his pocket...that's all

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  83. Thank you sir, someone with some common sense. Where do they find these people?

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  84. to be fair that was when Lambert had been involved in a lot of games in quick succession

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