Liam Henderson

JVoH better in the air than Henrik?

 

Feeling the cold Liam

 

Not a chance, taller aye but Larsson was vastly superior at converting headed chances for me

Love it

 

Well you're wrong then

 

Aye, having it the other way round is a * mental opinion.

 

Nah, Just caught a quick peek at KT's legs and forgot where he was for a moment.

 

LIAM Henderson is living proof that “experienced young player” isn’t necessarily a contradiction in terms. At just 20 the midfielder remains one of the more callow figures in Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic squad but his medal collection, a stint overseas and a raft of memories speak to someone who has already achieved a fair bit in the game.

Having made his competitive Celtic debut aged just 17 and played in a League Cup-winning side, Henderson has flitted in and out of the first-team picture but has made progress elsewhere while waiting on his chance at Celtic. A three-month spell with Rosenborg earned him Norwegian league and cup winner’s medals, while a season-long loan at Hibernian last season saw him leave with the supporters’ best wishes and a Scottish Cup bauble in his pocket. Henderson was no bit-part player in the final either, sending in the corners converted by first Anthony Stokes and then David Gray as Hibs finally scratched a 114-year itch.

Back at Celtic, he has had to bide his time but he is willing to be patient. While others like his friend Ryan Christie have elected to go out on loan for regular first-team football, Henderson believes he has done his apprenticeship. His sole focus now is on staking a place for a regular first-team spot at Celtic and he will wait until that opportunity arises.

“There's a lot of competition here but it's a Champions League club,” he said. “So it's always going to be hard. We're one of the biggest clubs in the world so it's always going to be difficult for a young player to break through and be a mainstay. But I feel like I've been out on loan and did my apprenticeship. Now, I have to give it my best shot at being a Celtic player.

“The last few weeks have been really good. I've just been working hard to try and get in the team. I've listened to the manager and I'm trying to do what he wants to a high standard.

“I've enjoyed it but I know how quickly it can change. So I'll just keep my head down and try to take my chance. I never thought about another loan. That didn't even cross my mind. I spoke to my family, my agent and obviously the manager here. He didn't want me to go anywhere and neither did I.”

Henderson is not the first Celtic player to credit the influence of Rodgers whose advice to the young midfielder was to try to do less, not more.

“The manager's been brilliant with me, even when I was out of the team. His door is always open and you can even go to him with non-football issues.

“When he first arrived he told me that I have loads of energy, which is a good thing. I run about a lot. But he wants me to contain that. At the highest level, in Champions League, it's all about structures. It's about people playing to a position and they rarely move out of it.

“So he wanted me to play with my head instead of constantly running around. I've tried to adapt my game. It's about thinking more on the pitch. I feel it's made a big difference, it's improving my game. Compared to games last year, I feel I'm a better player.”

Henderson reveals himself to be someone who will happily take advice from numerous and diverse sources. He speaks regularly with Kevin Thomson, his room-mate at Hibs last year, as well as current team-mates such as Scott Brown, James Forrest and Mikael Lustig.

“I am one of those people who think about where they want to get to,” he added. “Last year I was really fortunate to have Kevin Thomson as my room-mate at Hibs. He played for the other team in Glasgow, he played in the Uefa Cup final and was a big influence. He spoke to me about coming back to Celtic. He said it’s a massive club and that I should stay there.

“It was good to get advice at my age and I also have Broony here. As a Hibs fan when I was younger I watched them play together. For those two to hand down their experience at this stage of my career is second to none. I look to take it all on board and I can always go to them.”

The impression that Henderson has a mature head on young shoulders is given extra credence by his behaviour away from the game. While many players like to keep shirts and boots from big matches as mementoes, he has elected to put that memorabilia to better use.

"I auctioned off my Hibs cup final jersey because my little brother Jamie was in hospital with a hole in his heart and a narrowed artery,” he said. “That went to the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh. My Celtic League Cup final top went to Yorkhill. We put the combined total together and split it. I got around £7000 for the Hibs top and £1500 for the Celtic one. I also auctioned off my Hibs cup final boots for my local chapel and also auctioned a Celtic strip to help fix the roof.

"It's good to give back, especially as my little brother was in hospital. If any money can help sick children I am more than happy to do my bit. They are special items but when I am gone, who is going to get them? I felt the best thing to do would be raise the money for charity and help a lot of people.”

 

Completely forgot he was at Rosenborg

 

I think he's struggling a little at the minute. He has flashes of (almost) brilliance where you think 'yeah, there's a player in there' but for large parts of the game he is a passenger. I think he needs to be doing a lot more to hold down a regular place in the team. I don't think he has the composure, technique or vision to play in the number 10 role just yet. Take Saturday: Motherwell had 10 men behind the ball - we dominated possession but I hardly remember him having a touch or better still creating chances for himself and others.

That's just not good enough in these sorts of games where he should be seeing lots of the ball and playing with no pressure (because he knows if he loses the ball he'll have it back soon enough). Rogic would have taken that game by the scruff of the neck, the bits I've seen of Christie lately for Aberdeen says he'd have had a good go at doing that too. I'm in favour of giving McGregor a few games in the hole. I know Commons isn't anywhere near the picture but I think he'd have more to offer in games like those even though I understand fully why he isn't anywhere near the squad.

 

Doesnt impress me at all, not a hopeless player but I couldnt really tell why he should start a game and what he brings to the team right now.

 

He'll be stuck for a place when Rogic is back also if Christie keeps up his good form for Aberdeen he'd be pushing as well.

He's doing ok for now but with everything considered, if he wants to be a mainstay on that midfield he'll need to improve drastically.

 

Me too. Remember he score one or two in a game. Some cv for a 20 yr old bit part player

 

Both Lenny and BR rave about his attitude and willingness to learn.

 

At the Hibs game tonight

 

Henderson