Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has shared how Jurgen Klopp has changed his mentality in difficult circumstances.
Speaking with Jake Humphrey on the High Performance podcast, the Reds midfielder claimed the German’s outlook on certain situations ultimately helped his personal life and career on the field massively.
“I probably don’t remember the victories and how he was, because everybody’s just celebrating and everything’s great, you know,” said Henderson.
“But you’re right. In the tough moments, you do remember them clearly.
“It stood out to me because it was completely different to anything I’ve ever experienced in my life before and the way he thought about things was totally different.
“So that helped me massively, in terms of my thoughts, in my mentality, because after a defeat on a weekend – never mind a Champions League final – I’d stay in the house for two or three days, I didn’t want to go out.
“So, to change, that for me was huge really.”
Henderson has Klopp to thank
Regardless of what people have been thinking about his abilities on the pitch in recent times, one thing critics cannot say about Henderson is that he’s not a strong leader.
The 32-year-old has been absolutely crucial to any success had at Merseyside in recent years, as he has been just like another Klopp on the field.
The England international has been largely responsible for creating an incredibly close-knit atmosphere behind the scenes at Kirkby, and that has been evident during matches at Anfield.
Henderson is a brilliant motivator, and he leads his team by example. He has thus become one of the best captains in Liverpool’s illustrious history – a huge achievement considering he was handed the armband by club legend Steven Gerrard.
Although he is no longer a guaranteed starter in the middle of the park, his importance at Anfield remains paramount.