Henderson Delivers Strong Message After Feyenoord Win
It’s not often you see a former Premier League captain openly call out the press for making life harder both on and off the pitch. But Jordan Henderson did just that, unleashing his frustration after Ajax edged Feyenoord 2-1 in the Eredivisie. In the mix zone, he didn’t hold back. There was no cryptic answer or standard football cliché. Instead, he rejected swirling rumors of a move to AS Monaco, flat-out calling them "lies"—and made it clear he’s had enough of seeing his family dragged into the fallout.
Henderson’s journey to the Netherlands has already been a whirlwind this season. He arrived at Ajax fresh from Saudi Arabia’s Al Ettifaq, trying to find rhythm in a club working through its own rough patch. Still, when the Monaco talk started trending online after Ajax’s win, he’d reached his boiling point. The rumors didn’t just affect him emotionally—they found their way to his wife, kids, and even his parents. That, Henderson said, is a line the media crossed. "Imagine reading this nonsense about your son, your husband, your dad. My family shouldn’t have to deal with it," he told the room.
For Ajax fans, Henderson isn’t just another foreign signing. He’s helped steady a sometimes-wobbly midfield and, for much of the season, even wore the captain’s armband. That changed just before the Europa League game against Galatasaray, when the armband went to goalkeeper Remko Pasveer. Henderson didn’t shy away from questions about it, but some journalists read more into the switch—suggesting it pointed to deeper issues. Clearly, that didn’t sit well with the Englishman.
Media Criticism and Club Pressure
The row didn’t stop at tabloid gossip. Henderson openly challenged why reporters seemed so eager to undermine his professionalism. "Most people wouldn’t even lace up their boots in the situations I’ve played through," he insisted, alluding to personal and professional strains few outsiders ever see. With Ajax’s well-documented financial troubles and cost-cutting rumored behind closed doors, the speculation feeds a constant storm around the club’s future—and its highest earners.
Ajax is expected to make tough decisions soon, including possible player departures. Henderson gets that his contract is one of the bigger paychecks on the roster, but says that’s separate from the sensationalist stories swirling around his commitment. "If the club has to talk about money, that’s football. But don’t drag my name through the mud just because I’m not the cheapest player in the building." For now, he’s focused on doing what he’s been brought in to do—help Ajax win on the field, however messy things might look off it.