Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge has insisted that Jordan Henderson is the right man to take over from Wayne Rooney as England captain.
The 26-year-old will skipper the Three Lions away in Slovakia on Tuesday evening following the news that Rooney is to start on the bench in Ljubljana.
Aldridge believes that Henderson's standout display in the 2-0 win over Malta last time out proves that he has the quality to succeed, just a couple of years on from being heavily criticised by many after some abject performances for both club and country.
"What a great honour it is for Jordan Henderson to captain England against Slovenia," he told the Liverpool Echo. "It's another sign of his development and he deserves it. Henderson has had so many doubters over the years and I must admit I was one of them during his first season at Anfield, when he didn't do himself justice.
"But over time he has grown as a player and as a leader. OK, it was only Malta on Saturday but Henderson was head and shoulders above anyone else on that pitch at Wembley. He's such an honest player. He never hides.
"He's always looking to get on the ball. After a tough year with injuries, he has proved he's back to his best this season and that's great news both for Liverpool and England."
Rooney talked up Henderson's leadership abilities on the eve of the qualifying clash with Slovenia, claiming that the Liverpool midfielder has done a fine job of replacing Steven Gerrard at Anfield.
Daniel Lewis
