Nottingham Forest head coach Steve Cooper has explained the brilliant gesture made by Dean Henderson before the Reds faced Brentford last weekend.
The on-loan Manchester United stopper has recently been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign after undergoing thigh surgery.
That does represent a real blow for the Reds. Nothing against Keylor Navas but Henderson just gets the football club and his character has been missed somewhat.
It would seem as though the Reds’ stopper will begin his rehabilitation with Forest though. He was at Brentford on Saturday with the team and Cooper has explained that was his own decision.
The head coach told Nottinghamshire Live: “For example, he had to see a consultant before we played Brentford, then he made his own way down to London on Friday, came to the team hotel and then travelled – in match tracksuit – to the game and was as loud as ever in the dressing room and was as disappointed as everyone else after the game, and he was back on the team coach. He didn’t have to do that, but he wanted to do it.”
Henderson was one of the first players to sign for Forest following promotion to the Premier League.
He was added on a season-long loan from United and kept six clean sheets during 20 appearances during his time at the City Ground.
Cooper has explained what Henderson did before Forest defeat
Footballers often get a bad reputation in the modern era, more so loan players with the notion often considered that they don’t care as much.
In Henderson’s case that couldn’t be further from the truth.
He has really given everything for the club and it’s so disappointing that he’s not been able to stay fit for the entire campaign.
Henderson will be one of Forest’s top summer transfer targets but only if they can remain in the Premier League.
Cooper is a huge fan of his and clearly he values the fact that he wanted to be with the team at Brentford last week.
Hopefully, the leadership qualities of Henderson can shine through during the final four games, even if he’s not on the pitch.