'Honest Hendo deserves chance to captain England'
Jordan Henderson's chance to captain England in Slovenia this evening is a deserved honour for the Liverpool midfielder, according to John Aldridge.
It has been confirmed that the Reds skipper will lead his country for the 2018 World Cup qualifier, with Wayne Rooney set to be among the substitutes.
Interim England manager Gareth Southgate explained how Henderson’s experience of wearing the armband for his club made him the right choice for the role.
And Aldridge feels the opportunity is merited.
He wrote in his Liverpool Echo column: “What a great honour it is for Jordan Henderson to captain England against Slovenia.
“It’s another sign of his development and he deserves it.
“Henderson has had so many doubters over the years and I must admit I was one of them during his first season at Anfield, when he didn’t do himself justice.
“But over time he has grown as a player and as a leader. OK, it was only Malta on Saturday but Henderson was head and shoulders above anyone else on that pitch at Wembley.
“He’s such an honest player. He never hides. He’s always looking to get on the ball.
“After a tough year with injuries, he has proved he’s back to his best this season and that’s great news both for Liverpool and England.”