Gyökeres, Loyalty, and Legacy – Hendrick Lays Out Liverpool’s Next Move | OneFootball

Hendrick: “Let’s reward their loyalty by putting the best possible team on the pitch”

Liverpool’s New Era Begins with Clear Intent

In a stirring episode of The Old Skool Podcast, Gags Tandon and Dave Hendrick reconvened to dissect Liverpool’s Premier League triumph and speculate on the next chapter under Arne Slot. With the echoes of celebration still hanging in the air, the conversation quickly turned toward legacy, ambition, and a ruthless focus on silverware.

Dave Hendrick pulled no punches. “Let’s go and maximise the final years of Mo, Virgil, and Ali. Let’s put as much as we can into making sure that when they leave this club, there’s no more medals left on the table.”

Forward Thinking: The Case for Victor Gyökeres

Hendrick made an impassioned argument for investing in proven attacking talent: “In the number nine position, go and get a win-now player.” He spotlighted Victor Gyökeres of Sporting CP, whose stock continues to rise after a prolific season.

“He’s just in such a groove right now,” said Hendrick. “He doesn’t get hurt… 10 goals in his last seven caps. He’s transferring that performance level to international level, too.”

Importantly, Hendrick addressed concerns around age: “Even if you get two or three great years out of him, you can sell him to Saudi with two years left in his deal.” The emphasis was clear—Liverpool must act decisively in the transfer market if they are to capitalise on this era of elite players.

Loyalty in Red: Rewarding True Servants of the Club

Hendrick drew a stark contrast between the current squad and Liverpool’s past. “If you look at the great players we’ve had since the ’90s… all of them pushed to leave. All of them agitated to leave.”

But then, his voice softened in reverence: “The only three truly great players we’ve had in the last 35 years that have never agitated to leave… Ali, Virgil, Mo.” His call to action? “Let’s reward them for it. Let’s reward their loyalty by putting the best possible team on the pitch.”

Tandon echoed the sentiment, adding, “They’ve never wanted to leave. They want to be here. And also, they’re still in their prime. Like Mo just had his best numbers ever.”

Photo: IMAGO

Arsenal, City, and the Shifting Landscape

Looking beyond Anfield, the pair debated the future of title rivals. “There’s no evidence Arsenal can win anything,” said Hendrick bluntly. “If you look at this Arsenal group… who has won anything other than Kai Havertz and the lads who won things sitting on the bench at City?”

On Manchester City, there was cautious optimism. “Pep is not going to be at City for much longer,” Hendrick predicted. “Maybe two more seasons, more likely just one more.”

A Moment to Savour

As the podcast drew to a close, Gags and Dave turned reflective, paying homage to the journey they’ve taken with Anfield Index since 2011. “Honestly, this Anfield Index is a blessing,” said Gags. “It’s amazing when you get to meet these people… it’ll blow your socks off, mate.”

The podcast, already soaked in emotion and celebration, ended with a vision. “When we retain, we party like it’s 2026,” laughed Gags. Hendrick replied with understated ambition: “I just see Premier League and Champions League doubles in our future.”