Birtley Lad
Midfield
Saudi Arabia is changing. It is probably the most progressive of the middle eastern Islamic regimes. Women can now drive and the permitted age for girls to marry is now 16. It is still illegal to be LGBTI in Saudi but it is not now considered a criminal offence. It doesn’t sound progressive but it is light years ahead of the hardline Islamic regimes like Iran, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen , etcI said I was out but I can't resist replyingHaway man, he sold his morals to be used a sportswashing puppet for Saudi saying and doing stuff like this. Given the money he was on (until 2025 anyway) and the money he could have got elsewhere, did he really need even more millions to be used in this way?
“So do I go somewhere to try something new, to grow the game that I love in another country, and grow the league into one of the best in the world?”
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That's what some still don't agree with even now and it was clearly evident in 2023. Now that a rumour of him coming back that opinion seems to have swayed greatly. I posted 4 Henderson thread links and this is just how many likes certain comments got about Jordan coming here late 2024/early 2025 compared to those who would.
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Many others didn't as you only have to read through the older threads
Too soon for Henderson to come back?
Henderson an unused sub for Ajax yesterday, not sure if he was on the bench due to poor form or carrying a knock. Do you think he would consider a player / coach role here?www.readytogo.net
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Could he have said no to being the Saudi glove puppet or was he too poor at the time?
Don't get me wrong as I'm just playing devil's advocate as I'd have him back even though I'm not keen on what he did. Though I wouldn't go to the lengths some are trying to deflect the criticism that flew about at the time and still is now and try to compare it to Joe Public to justify the reason of him going there in the 1st place and the reasons why he left.
Let’s all hope for further change in Saudi!
Hendo is perfectly at liberty to go there and play for a private club, and any influence Hendo would have in his local community would be positive - he is a top guy!