4 hours ago
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Jordan Henderson's England callback is simply a "great move" and the 34-year-old brings a "winning mentality" to the squad, says goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Ajax midfielder Henderson was called up for the archetypal clip since November 2023 erstwhile caller manager Thomas Tuchel named him successful his archetypal England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.
Henderson won the archetypal of his 81 caps successful 2010 nether Fabio Capello, and Tuchel has said the erstwhile Liverpool skipper "embodies everything we effort to build".
Pickford knows Henderson good arsenic they were some astatine Sunderland successful the aboriginal signifier of their careers, arsenic good arsenic being portion of the England sides that reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, the Euro 2020 last and the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup successful Qatar.
And Pickford thinks the call-up of Henderson and Newcastle defender Dan Burn volition assistance the squad arsenic they hole to effort to triumph the World Cup successful 2026.
"We've been knocking connected the doorway for a portion now. We've been to 2 finals, a semi-final and a 4th final," the goalkeeper said.
"It's astir that adjacent measurement now. We cognize what it takes to get there. It's astir what it takes to assistance the trophy, and that is what the manager has travel successful to do," Pickford said.
"We person got Dan Burn's archetypal call-up which is simply a large accomplishment for him. We person got Hendo with however galore caps helium has got. He has got that winning mentality, what helium has won astatine Liverpool arsenic a subordinate and a captain.
"To person those leaders astir the place, the much leaders you person successful the squad I deliberation the much occurrence they volition bring.
"They volition thrust grooming standards, they volition thrust standards astir the spot and marque it a amended campy for everybody."
Henderson joined Ajax successful January 2024 aft spending little than six months astatine Al-Ettifaq successful the Saudi Pro League.
He has made 38 appearances this play and Ajax are six points wide astatine the apical of the Eredivisie.
"His tendency to privation to triumph and what helium has won and achieved is driven by himself," Pickford said.
"He's a victor and a large leader. I deliberation bringing Hendo backmost successful is large for the squad.
"He was vice-captain for galore years. He didn't travel to the past Euros but helium was vice-captain successful 2018 to Harry [Kane].
"I deliberation idiosyncratic similar Hendo, it's great. Having leaders successful your group, the teams that person won person ever had that acquisition successful the broadside arsenic well.
"I deliberation it's a large determination for america to person idiosyncratic similar him successful the squad. What helium has done, however helium is inactive driven - whether helium plays oregon not helium is going to beryllium the person connected the grooming pitch," Pickford added.
England reached the last of Euro 2024 nether erstwhile manager Gareth Southgate wherever they mislaid to Spain, and Pickford says it is hard to cognize if Henderson could person helped England triumph their archetypal men's trophy since 1966.
"We got to a last and didn't triumph it," Pickford said.
"Jords is simply a large lad and respected by each the players and the staff.
"I don't deliberation we volition ever cognize if helium was a miss arsenic we got to the final. This manager has brought Hendo successful and I cognize however overmuch of a person helium is, and however respected helium is, truthful I deliberation it's lone a bully thing."
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