(Football news) In an explosive interview, Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson, who is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest has described the club’s treatment of him as “criminal” during the 2021/22 season. The 25 year old England international was allegedly told that he was “the number 1 goalkeeper” at the club but missed out on the opening matches of the season after contracting COVID-19. After his recovery, Henderson was not given the opportunity to usurp David De Gea for the first choice goalkeeping position which left him “fuming” at the club’s treatment.
In an interview with Talksport, Henderson said “To be honest, it has probably been the toughest 12 months of my career. It was frustrating, because I turned down so many good loans last summer for that reason, and they would not let me go. The conversation I had coming out of the Euros squad was: 'You're coming back here to be the number one.' I got Covid-19, came back, so I should have still been the number one but then nobody followed through with what they had told me. To sit there for 12 months, it is criminal really, at my age. I was fuming. I told the hierarchy that I need to be playing football and to let me go, and I was almost gone before the manager [Erik ten Hag] came through the door. I have not spoken to him since. I worked hard on and off the pitch to keep improving day in, day out, and now I am looking forward to the season with Nottingham Forest.
“I didn’t really want the manager to come in and see me in training because I knew that he’d probably want to keep me so I tried to do it all before I left for the season. I told the hierarchy that I need to be playing football, I don’t want to be here and play second fiddle, it was planned out. I was almost gone before the manager [Erik ten Hag] came through the door. I have not spoken to him since. You may have noticed that I haven’t been able to do an interview in two years, that’s evident, isn’t it? I just kept myself to myself, I’ve sort of toned down in the sense where I don’t need to be saying stuff, I just go and end up doing it. There’s nothing wrong with self-belief, you have to believe in yourself in this game.
“Especially in this position you’re probably playing the hardest position on the pitch, you have to believe in yourself. Maybe when I’m younger I said a few things in interviews that I maybe shouldn’t have and it may have been over the top but it’s all part of learning.” Steve Cooper came to see me, he said one thing to me. He said: ‘Look, I don’t care what you’ve done in the game, I don’t care about this, that and the other, I want you to come and play for me and I’ll back you 110 percent.’ It’s something I’ve been crying out for for 365 days. It was fantastic to hear a manager have that trust in me and I can’t wait to repay him.”
Henderson established himself as a first choice goalkeeper under former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the second half of the 2020-21 season. However, the 25 year old was not picked in the starting XI in the Europa League final against Villarreal. During the 2021-22 season, Henderson featured in only three cup games, much to his frustration. With David De Gea being one of the very few standout performers for Manchester United in the 2021/22 season, it would be wise for the club to cut ties with Dean Henderson, especially after his recent outburst which doesn’t reflect well on the club.
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