Hendry on Scotland’s belief, Gerrard, the Saudi Pro League, and Rangers boss Clement

Jack Hendry’s career has covered a lot ground since his Partick Thistle debut, moving up through League One in England, Dundee, Celtic, Australia, Belgium, and Italy to his current position with Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia.

The Scotland international has worked under a number of managers throughout his career that have had a significant influence on him; none more so than Philippe Clement, a colleague at Club Brugge.

Hendry was quite pleased by the Belgian and claims that he had a big impact on his style of play. His keen eye for detail enabled him to improve his defense to a new level.

The 28-year-old is unsurprised that Clement’s impact on Rangers’ season since moving to Glasgow has been so great, as his unwavering drive for achievement is a perfect match for the demands of the Ibrox position.

“I signed him,” Hendry remarked.

He’s played a significant role in my growth. I was appreciative of him at the time as the Champions League experience had improved my performance significantly.

“He treated me really well. I had numerous one-on-one sessions with him; he showed me tapes of various center halves and what he believed I was capable of, and he genuinely believed in me.

“I was disappointed that his time at Monaco was cut short, but his track record and skill as a manager speak for themselves.

“He’s just an excellent coach,” He has a winning mentality and is determined to win because he understands the game.

He was incredibly motivated and wanted to succeed, and I believe that all of the players looked up to him, paid attention to what he had to say, and respected him. In that sense, we are very similar.

Hendry is presently managed by yet another Rangers alumnus, Steven Gerrard, the legendary Liverpool player and former Ibrox boss, who oversees Al-Ettifaq.

“The gaffer, Gerrard, has also been excellent with me,” he remarked.

“Since I’ve been there, he has been accurate with me and has faith in me.

He played a major role in my decision to travel to Saudi Arabia; if he hadn’t been the manager, I doubt I would have done it, but he and his coaching staff have been excellent to me.

Once more, a new style of play, but I’m having a great time playing with him.

“Clearly, Gerrard’s career speaks for itself. He was Liverpool’s captain and a major attraction. He still is, and every day in practice and competition, his winning mentality is evident.

“It’s great to play under him, but he has very high standards.”

The fact that Gerrard has given the Scot more responsibility is one of the key reasons Hendry has prospered under his leadership.

He declared, “I’ve played every minute.”

To be honest, I’m really loving my football. He’s made me a great defensive focal point, and I like that. I like being that kind of leader in the back four.

Any team needs that foundation, and we’ve been playing really well defensively in the league, so I believe we have the second-best defense in the league.

defensive track record.

“That means a lot to me, and hopefully we can be the best at some point. He’s probably given me a lot of responsibility to be a key member of that back four, which is something I enjoy and thrive on.

“With the other coaches out there, as well, we have good relationships in that regard.”

The many critics of the Saudi Pro League will undoubtedly minimize Hendry’s delight in his team’s defensive record, but he is quick to point out that he faces some of the best attacking players in the world every week.

For example, when the current international window ends, he will face Al-Ahli.

“Roberto Firminho, Riyad Mahrez, and Allan Saint-Maximin are their frontline,” he remarked.

These players are of a very high caliber.

“It’s easy to view it in certain ways if you don’t watch it every week, but when you look at the caliber of players who play on a weekly basis, particularly in the front end of the pitch, it’s incredibly strong and that will only get stronger.”

Since it’s a new league, everyone has an opinion. But I live there every day; I’m in it.

“It’s like night and day now compared to when I went out, even from the perspective of my own club. The amenities are perhaps Premier League caliber. With the resources we currently possess, you have no justifications.

“Our team has improved significantly with the players on it thanks to the additions we’ve made.

Nothing is going to be perfect, especially in a league that is constantly changing, but that is just the nature of the society we live in where people are constantly finding fault. However, I can assure you that it will rank among the top leagues worldwide. I don’t just say that because I live there and witness it all the time. I see the stadiums, the infrastructure, and what their