Kevin Ball has saluted Jordan Henderson after he was named England captain for the Three Lions' World Cup qualifier in Slovenia tonight.
Hailing from Farringdon, the Sunderland-born midfielder rose through the ranks at the Academy of Light before later earning himself a move to Anfield in 2011.
Now 26, the midfielder plies his trade at Liverpool and was given the prestigious honour of captaincy following the departure of legendary Kop figure Steven Gerrard to MSL outfit LA Galaxy.
However, roll back 10 years and Henderson was vying for a scholarship under the watchful eye of Ball, who from there coached the player right through the age groups until he made his first-team debut at Chelsea in 2008.
“I’m not surprised by what Jordan has achieved because his desire to be the best is fabulous,” he said.
“As a young kid I found him mature to talk to, physically he may have been behind some of the lads but he never let that bother him.
“When he moved to Liverpool people were always going to judge him because he was going to have to step up to the plate, but the fact he has done that and he is Jurgen Klopp's captain – what more could you ask of someone?
“It is fabulous, absolutely brilliant what he has done and he is still humble which is a sign of the great person he is – he is a leader."
While Henderson has been the Academy of Light’s biggest flag-bearer for the last few years, 22-year-old Jordan Pickford’s late call-up to the national squad has also highlighted his mesmeric rise to the fore.
And Bally has praised the duo as he believes they are reaping the rewards of years of hard work and dedication, something which many youngsters should aspire to.
“Everyone associated with Sunderland AFC should be so proud because they are two local lads representing their country with pride.
“It’s an eye opener to players that this is what you can chose to do if you want and they have both done it with hard work.
“They both have great ability but what overrides that is their desire to be the best they can possibly be.
"Hard works helps you achieve your potential, you can have all the potential but without hard work it’s worthless."
