Dean Henderson, the goalie for Crystal Palace, made his debut for England on Sunday against Finland. After the match, he paid respect to his late father Dougie and to George Baldock, a former teammate of his.
Do not allow anyone convince you that international football, whether it is a match in the UEFA Nations League or something else entirely, is irrelevant.
Dean Henderson was devastated when his father Dougie went away at the terribly young age of 57 three months ago. Dougie had served as Dean Henderson’s father. Last week, Henderson was left in utter disbelief after learning of the passing of his friend and former teammate at Sheffield United, George Baldock, who was 31 years old.
It is hardly surprising that Henderson’s emotions got the better of him when, on Sunday, he was given his first start as an England player in Helsinki. After making his first appearance for his nation for the first time as a substitute in the second half of a friendly match against the Republic of Ireland, Henderson had to wait over four years before making his next appearance and making his first start for his country.
And to whom did he turn for assistance during that trying period of time? When a move to Manchester United did not go according to plan, this was the time. “My old man,” he murmured as he was descending into the bowels of the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki.
Regrettably, we were unable to find him throughout the summer. The fact that he was able to come and see me tonight would have been a wonderful thing. It has been an emotional experience. To continue to make him proud is something I am well aware of. Not a single game was missed by him. The adventure that we embarked on was really incredible. The only thing left to do is to ensure that it continues.”
The fact that Dougie is no longer with us makes it much more meaningful to have his family present to see significant events in his professional life. Henderson had to go into organizational overdrive in order to get his mother, Yvonne, and the rest of his family to Helsinki in time for the game to begin. This was due to the fact that he was just informed of his starting position three hours before the game was scheduled to take place in Finland.
On the other hand, he stated, “I had to make every effort to bring them over here on a charter plane.” Nevertheless, I went ahead and performed it since I was aware that it would be a significant event for the family. There was no way I could let them miss it. I could see that they were feeling emotional when they were in the stands.
And it was the culmination of a week filled with feelings for Henderson, who, like a great number of other people, was profoundly affected by the passing of Baldock. “I am at a loss for words,” she expressed. I don’t know what to say about it. To this day, Henderson said that he was still numb.
It’s hard for me to believe. Even now, I am numb. Because of the group of young men that we had there, and because he was such a large figure, it was a complete and utter surprise to lose him. Additionally, it is evident that he is curious about Annabel, his dear missus, and everything that is going on with the young child, Brody… It’s a terrible problem.”
The previous few years have not been easy for Henderson on a professional level, which is another reason why his full England debut was so remarkable. Henderson has been the captain of England for the past few years. He made the following statement: “It just demonstrates that you can never give up, and you have to be resilient and bounce back.” And I am filled with pride that I was able to do it despite the challenges that I have faced.
When it comes to supporting a permanent successor to Gareth Southgate, Lee Carsley has gained another supporter as a result of his decision. Henderson remarked, “He (Carsley) is absolutely incredible.” He has a strong desire to play, and he wants to play with self-assurance.
What he wants to do is exert control over football games, and the guys are buying into his concept. Everyone is having a great time. We are going to bring our confidence with us to the next camp. There is a significant match that we have scheduled against Greece, and we just have to have a head start on it.
