Paul Merson has hit out at fellow Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane for criticising Jordan Henderson’s selection in the England squad for the Euros.
The Liverpool captain had been sidelined with a groin injury that had kept him out of action since February, and Keane had questioned why the 30-year-old had been included if he wasn’t fully fit.
After Henderson scored the fourth goal in England’s 4-0 win over Ukraine, Merson responded to Keane’s comments, saying that the former Manchester United player’s outburst was uncalled for:
“He’s a proper pro, isn’t he. He’s a real professional. He has got on with it. He hasn’t been in the team and fair play to him. I know Roy Keane said ‘is he going because he’s playing Karaoke?’. It’s nonsense. He goes because he’s a quality player. Great for the team and he’s not a moaner. For me, outstanding.”
Keane is a pretty much a “shock jock” pundit and his comments are designed to put the cat among the pigeons so it wasn’t a surprise when he made the remarks about Henderson.
As Merson rightly points out, though, Henderson simply kept his head down and got on with things, as he has done throughout his entire professional career. He has often been criticised as a player but he once again answered his detractors with a fine display after coming on a substitute for England last night.
