Jeff Hendrick M b.1992

[GerryNonDePlume]

Hendrick's a strange one. Went from performing well at Premier League level on a reasonably consistent basis to not getting a look in at one of the worst teams in the Championship in relatively short order. Newcastle was an awful move in hindsight. Seems to be a victim of moving to a team that was in the process of getting money to spend. Can't understand why Wednesday couldn't find a role for him, even after coming off the bench to net an important last minute equaliser earlier in the season. It's not because he's a bad trainer. He keeps himself in great condition, even off season.

Hopefully he gets a Championship move. Seems to have the profile that Turkish, Greek, and other teams on the continent would go for as well. I wouldn't be averse to him getting a look in in the future if he gets his club future sorted out, given how threadbare we are there at the moment.

[texidub]

Yep. It's a crazy short-lived career choice so they have to make money as fast and as best they can - and unless you know the ins and outs of someone's life, I wouldn't judge. I will judge haircuts though since there is only so much silliness a pro football team should tolerate and Hendrick has failed us all in that department.

[irishfan86]

Hendrick’s best years where when he played in a more advanced position, almost like a No. 10 although much of his running was closing down rather playing in an attacking way on the ball — though he had that in his game as we saw at Euro 2016.

I don’t know if his legs went or if he somehow got typecast as a holding midfielder—but that was never really his skillset when he was at his best. He ended up playing there for us sort of out of necessity given the horrible generation of midfielders we’ve had this decade, but yeah for me not his best position.

Maybe can still do a job at Championship level but wouldn’t be surprised if he has to leave England for a contract.

[elatedscum]

I always blamed Sean Dyche. Dyche basically gave him 3 jobs: win second balls high up the pitch (long balls will be flicked on to you), feed the ball out to your nearest winger, press high if you don’t win the ball. All his natural footballing ability was sublimated for years and his dribbling, quick feet and creativity were taken out of his game for years and years… really went backwards as a footballer

[JR89]

I always blamed Sean Dyche. Dyche basically gave him 3 jobs: win second balls high up the pitch (long balls will be flicked on to you), feed the ball out to your nearest winger, press high if you don’t win the ball. All his natural footballing ability was sublimated for years and his dribbling, quick feet and creativity were taken out of his game for years and years… really went backwards as a footballer

Yeah damn that dastardly Sean Dyche. Paying a club record fee for him when they got promoted, and helped turn him into an established PL player. 122 PL appearances in four seasons with a 107 starts. Damn that dastardly Dyche for ruining his career like that.

[ColourfulPeanut]

Yeah damn that dastardly Sean Dyche. Paying a club record fee for him when they got promoted, and helped turn him into an established PL player. 122 PL appearances in four seasons with a 107 starts. Damn that dastardly Dyche for ruining his career like that.

It's about one step short of the usual Irish football trope.

"He should have moved to the continent. Where the slower more technical style of football would have suited him better and he would have turned into a superstar."

- Lad who once played as Ajax on Football Manager and watched Football Italia on Channel 4, 25 years ago

[Fixer82]

He was excellent in three out of four of our games in Euro 2016 and had some great moments in those qualifiers.
Unfortunately, that was his peak

[Eirambler]

Almost three months into the season now and Jeff is still clubless. Are we to take it that he's effectively retired now? Would have thought there would be a contract for him in the Middle East, US or Australia if he wanted it. It's some drop off for him, he is still only 32 and was capped by Ireland as recently as last summer.

[Diggs246]

I met him and his wife once, the wife is a Scottish stunner and Jeff I have to say did not go to "Betty Ann Norton"

Not one word out of his mouth was English, so basically Australia is perfect

[Demesne Lad]

Turned 33 yesterday. Is Hendrick still out of the game, or have I missed something?

[Eirambler]

Money made, feet up.

[tetsujin1979]

No, you haven't missed anything. You'd think he'd get something in MLS or the A League in Australia

[samhaydenjr]

No, you haven't missed anything. You'd think he'd get something in MLS or the A League in Australia

Not good enough to be a Marquee Designated Player in the MLS, but probably too expensive to fall within the salary cap unless he takes a big cut. That said, Kevin Long is at Toronto FC, within the cap.

[elatedscum]

If I was him and there were no decent championship offers or anything exciting in Europe, I’d definitely have signed in LOI by now, any of Pats, Rovers or Shels. Back in Dublin, European football etc etc. could well be the best player in the league - it hurts me to see cause I would have given so much to have that footballing ability to play for my country or for a living and I would have eeked every game out of it

[Eirambler]

Is there a danger he'd go back to the LoI now and just be kind of average at that level though? He had three Championship loans during his time at Newcastle and looked poor in all three. He was one of those players who, by 30, looked miles off the player he was at 25. Same as James McCarthy. Don't know if it was a miles on the clock thing, or if the way he was used at Burnley chasing second balls for years just sucked the footballing ability out of him. He was so lucky to get that Bosman move to Newcastle before the Saudis bought them, that contract will have left him on easy street for life.

[Olé Olé]

Is there a danger he'd go back to the LoI now and just be kind of average at that level though? He had three Championship loans during his time at Newcastle and looked poor in all three. He was one of those players who, by 30, looked miles off the player he was at 25. Same as James McCarthy. Don't know if it was a miles on the clock thing, or if the way he was used at Burnley chasing second balls for years just sucked the footballing ability out of him. He was so lucky to get that Bosman move to Newcastle before the Saudis bought them, that contract will have left him on easy street for life.
No, there isn't that danger. Come on.

[Eirambler]

Honestly, he's 33 now and he's been **** for about three years, maybe longer. I could see him being pretty average at any level at this stage.

[Colbert Report]

Come on guys, with the exception of Damien Duff, who came back and played nine matches in the LoI ten years ago, no established international player is going to come back to play in Ireland. Hendrick made a pile of money off that last contract with Newcastle and can live comfortably for the rest of his life. No need to risk an injury playing in front of a few hundred people on terrible pitches when he can kick back and go for a swim in his private swimming pool instead.

[pineapple stu]

Jaysus - someone hasn't been watching LoI lately

[nigel-harps1954]

Come on guys, with the exception of Damien Duff, who came back and played nine matches in the LoI ten years ago, no established international player is going to come back to play in Ireland. Hendrick made a pile of money off that last contract with Newcastle and can live comfortably for the rest of his life. No need to risk an injury playing in front of a few hundred people on terrible pitches when he can kick back and go for a swim in his private swimming pool instead.

Have seen a fair few clueless posts on here over the years but this one takes the entire biscuit tin. Fair play.

[pineapple stu]

Linked with promotion-chasing moneybags Wrexham (https://www.thewrexhaminsider.com/opinion/wrexham-could-sign-ex-premier-league-star-on-free-transfer-after-devastating-andy-cannon-blow/)

[seanfhear]

Linked with promotion-chasing moneybags Wrexham (https://www.thewrexhaminsider.com/opinion/wrexham-could-sign-ex-premier-league-star-on-free-transfer-after-devastating-andy-cannon-blow/)
Could the Hendricks Midas touch / signing strike again ? !

[pineapple stu]

Returns to Derby (https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c8d47ql86r3o). A surprisingly decent club given how long he's been unattached.

[Demesne Lad]

A deal to the end of the season, i.e. 10 games, presumably in the hope that he can add something positive in the dressing room rather than on the pitch.

[pineapple stu]

Has retired (https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2025/1001/1536290-i-think-im-done-hendrick-calls-time-on-career/)

Only 33 - and to be honest, we could still do with him...

[Razors left peg]

Has retired (https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2025/1001/1536290-i-think-im-done-hendrick-calls-time-on-career/)

Only 33 - and to be honest, we could still do with him...

No we couldnt. He was the epitome of an empty shirt for most of his time with us. All our midfielders are Championship standard and very samey, Hendrick would fit right in there and be as un exciting as the rest of them

[Eirambler]

Yeah, as bad and all as our midfield problems are, Hendrick isn't the answer and he never really was. Fair play to him for knocking as long a Premier League career out of his talent as he did all the same.

[pineapple stu]

Ah that's harsh. Hendrick played 150 games in the Premier across 5 seasons, qualifying for Europe one year and coming top half another. Was one of our better players at Euro 2016.

Given the way our midfield was torn a new one by Armenia, I don't see how such a player wouldn't improve us (however marginally). Still only 33 - very young to be retiring. 3½ years younger than Coleman.

[Razors left peg]

Ah that's harsh. Hendrick played 150 games in the Premier across 5 seasons, qualifying for Europe one year and coming top half another. Was one of our better players at Euro 2016.

Given the way our midfield was torn a new one by Armenia, I don't see how such a player wouldn't improve us (however marginally). Still only 33 - very young to be retiring. 3½ years younger than Coleman.

If you look back through the Foot archives Id say youd struggle to find a player who was complained about as much as Hendrick for his Ireland performances. He was brilliant in the Euros for us in France and never repeated that sort of form. With his stature and ability he should have be the driving force of our midfield for 10 years, but he never seemed to be capable of more than just turning up. He might be one of our most frustrating ever players.

We like to romanticize the past, but pining for the days of Hendrick or Green, like I seen the other day, is too much

[Trequartista20]

Hendrick is classic example of a player who was given a final big contract at a club, a reputed £50,000 per week (£2.6m a year over 4 years) and just stopped caring. His ambition was sated.

He was still only 28 when he joined Newcastle in 2020, and has only played one season of regular football since then, on loan at an atrocious Reading side that was relegated from the Championship.

Retiring at 33, 'to spend time with his family' as a player who never suffered a serious injury and always stayed fit, tells you all you need to know.

So no, we don't miss him at all.

[Eirambler]

It sounds like he's retiring because the only clubs that want him are at a level he doesn't want to play at. Presumably League 1 or lower. He has never played below Championship level his whole career.

He could probably go to the US or the sandpit but he doesn't seem to want to uproot his family. He'd likely have taken a Championship offer but nobody wants him at that level - which is not a surprise given his performances in that league in the last few years.