England vice-captain Jordan Henderson has dismissed Roy Keane's criticism that he is not fit for Euro 2020, insisting he is ready to make a significant contribution. The Liverpool midfielder, who has been sidelined since February with a groin injury, made his return as a half-time substitute in England's 1-0 win over Romania on Sunday.
Keane, who gave Henderson his professional debut at Sunderland, questioned the midfielder's inclusion in the squad, saying: 'Clearly Jordan is not fit. I don't think he should be involved. Does he do card tricks? Does he have a sing-song?' Henderson responded with a smile: 'To be fair to Roy, he can say what he wants. I found it quite funny.'
The 30-year-old added: 'I'm not coming here just to be around the camp, like Roy was saying. Whenever I'm called upon, I'll be ready and hopefully I can make a big contribution.' Henderson also addressed his penalty miss against Romania, admitting he may need to leave spot-kicks to others after his failure to convert.
Despite limited game time, Henderson declared himself fit to start England's opening group match against Croatia on Sunday. 'I'm fit. I've trained for a long time. I'm going into the tournament in a good place,' he said. England manager Gareth Southgate has backed Henderson, with the midfielder expected to play a key role in the squad's quest for glory.
