Jeff Hendrick

At 32 years old, Jeff Hendrick has this physical status:

Jeffrey Patrick Hendrick (born 31 January 1992) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Burnley and the Republic of Ireland national team. Hendrick spent his early years with boyhood club St. Kevin's Boys in his native Dublin.

He had a number of unsuccessful trials in England before joining Derby County's youth academy in 2008.

Hendrick made his professional debut in April 2011 after impressive performances with the reserve team led manager Nigel Clough to include him in the senior setup.

He quickly became a regular starter and appeared in the 2014 Championship play-off final where Derby missed out on promotion with a 1–0 loss to Queens Park Rangers.

Hendrick amassed a total of 214 appearances for Derby over seven seasons.

He joined newly promoted Premier League side Burnley in August 2016, signing a three-year deal. Hendrick has represented Ireland at all youth levels.

Since his senior international debut in 2013, he has made over 50 appearances for Ireland and represented them at UEFA Euro 2016.

Personal life

Growing up, Hendrick played Gaelic football for Parnells and has a close friendship with former Dublin county team goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton. He has twin brothers named Ross and Alan.

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Club career

Hendrick joined Derby County in 2008 from St Kevin's Boys in Dublin, having beat Osgood-Schlatter disease and playing regularly for the club's academy team before moving to the reserve team in 2009. As the club's reserve team successfully captured the 2009–10 Central League Central Section Central Section crown, he made one start and seven substitute appearances. He was an unemployed replacement in a 2–0 victory over Cardiff City in the final match of the 2009–10 season at the end of the season. He signed his first professional deal on July 8, 2010, alongside four other Derby County academy graduates, including fellow Republic of Ireland Youth international Ryan Connolly and future League of Ireland player Graham Kelly.

Hendrick had a bigger role in Derby's reserve team during the 2010–11 season, starting 17 years in all competitions and scoring 9 goals, including a hat-trick, in a 5–0 victory over Buxton in the final of the same competition. Hendrick had enough success throughout his career to warrant a contract extension at Derby, which he got from January 2011 to Summer 2012.

"He's] progressed and did well this season, so we'd like to see him in the team for three or four games," Derby manager Nigel Clough said at the end of the 2010–11 season.

Hendrick was content with his progress and knew he'd have to keep his form to land a spot in the first team, so I'm hoping that I keep pushing on and doing well."

In a 4–2 home loss to Burnley, he made his debut in the following match on April 23rd, as an 80th-minute replacement for Robbie Savage.

Clough predicted that Hendrick would play in the Derby County first team squad more often during the 2011–12 season. He was assigned a squad number of 23. Despite missing the majority of Derby's pre-season due to his call-up to the European Under-19 tournament, Hendrick was in first-team service from the start of the season, making replacement appearances against Birmingham City and Watford in the season's first two games. He then earned a spot in the starting lineup from the third match (a 1–0 victory at Blackpool) onward.

In a 2–1 victory over local rivals Nottingham Forest, he scored his first professional goal in his fifth start of the season. His results earned him a spot in the Championship Team of the Week and his deep vein of form that followed him in the second round, when Hendrick scored his first goal at Pride Park and secured his second consecutive Team of the Week position.

Hendrick's form led him to his move to Premier League rivals Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion. Derby debating a new four-year contract with the midfielder during rumors that he was putting in contract negotiations. However, both his and Derby's form sailed off over the next six weeks, with the team winning just once in nine matches, though Nigel Clough told BBC Radio Derby that he was unconcerned about his team's fate. The Dublin native's new three-and-a-half years in the following month, extending his stay at the Pride Park club until the summer of 2015.

In a 1–0 loss to Ipswich Town, Hendrick missed Derby's Christmas and New Year schedule with an ankle ligament injury. In a 1–0 win over Coventry City on January 14, 2012, he returned to action as a 47th-minute replacement. After this game, Hendrick, displacing James Bailey in central midfield, became a mainstay of the Derby team for the remainder of the season. In a 3–2 home win over Crystal Palace on March 24, he scored his third goal of the season. Hendrick's form throughout the season was rewarded when he received the club's Sammy Crooks Young Player of the Year award.

Hendrick started the 2012–13 season in the starting eleven, but in his first 16 games, he was disqualified for Michael Jacobs. He regained his starting position shortly after and admitted that he was struggling to match his previous seasons' results. In a 2–0 win over Bristol City on December 15, Hendrick's form quickly improved and he scored his second goal of the season.

Hendrick was in good form in the first three games, including a goal against Middlesbrough in a 3-1 home victory that was later named Derby's Goal of the Season. Hendrick, according to former Derby teammate Kevin Kilbane, was able to play in the Premier League. In a 2–2 draw against Sheffield Wednesday on February 9, he scored again on February 9, 2013, a 2–2 draw. He was given further credit for his role in Derby's 3–0 win over Bristol City on March 29, where he scored the opening goal.

Hendrick finished the season as the runner-up for the Derby County Player of the Season Award and was voted the 58th-best player in the 2012–13 Championship by the Actim Index.

Hendrick was supposed to compete with Craig Bryson, Paul Coutts, and Will Hughes for a starting spot, according to Clough, who said that rotation could be used. He started playing in Derby's first five games before succumbing to a chipped ankle bone injury in a 3–0 victory over Yeovil Town in late August, with a scan showing more damage than anticipated and being banned out for 12 weeks.

Hendrick was a regular contributor to the 2013–14 season, helping Derby advance to the play-offs. Derby defeated Brighton and Hove Albion in the play-off semi-finals. Brighton defeated Brighton 6–2 on aggregate on aggregate on May 11, 2014, Hendrick scored in the 4–1 home win in the second leg. Derby defeated 1–0 to Queens Park Rangers on Sunday, effectively losing out on promotion to the Premier League. He played in the play-off final on May 24th.

Hendrick agreed a new four-year deal with Derby on June 26, 2014, which will keep him at the club until the end of the 2017–18 season.

In the league opener against Rotherham United on August 9, Hendrick scored his first goal of the 2014–15 season, resulting in a 1–0 victory for Derby. Derby moved to the top of the Championship table on Monday, scoring his fourth and fifth goals of the season in a 5–0 thrashing of Wolverhampton Wanderers. In a 3-3 draw against Millwall on April 25, Hendrick's 85th-minute equalizer helped keep the team's play-off hopes alive. Derby needed a victory in their last match against Reading to guarantee a play-off position, but they lost 3–0 and ended the 2014–15 season in eighth place, meaning they had earned just 12 points out of a maximum 39 since beating Charlton Athletic in February. Hendrick's most prolific in terms of goalscoring this season was his best to date, scoring a total of nine goals in 47 games in all competitions.

In a 2–2 draw against Leeds United on December 29, Hendrick scored his first goal of the 2015–16 season. In the 3–1 away victory over Brentford on February 20, he scored his second game of the season. Hendrick returned to the final league match against Ipswich Town on May 7th after being out of first-team action since March, but he was an unused substitute. Derby finished fifth in the Championship and qualified for the play-offs, where they will face Hull City in the semi-finals. Hendrick was an ineffective substitute in the first leg, but Derby returned to the starting line-up for the second leg and played the full 90 minutes as Derby lost 3–2 on aggregate to the Tigers. Hendrick was also an ineffective substitute.

Hendrick's 2016–17 season got off to a good start when he sustained a hamstring injury in a 2–0 loss to Barnsley on August 13.

Hendrick joined Burnley in Premier League for a three-year contract on August 31, 2016. In a 1–1 draw at home to Hull City, he made his debut on September ten minutes later, ending as a 75th-minute replacement. In a 3–0 away loss to reigning Premier League champions Leicester City, he made his first appearance for Burnley on September 17th. In a 2–0 home win over Watford, Hendrick scored his first goal for Burnley, after a header from Steven Defour across the line.

In a 3–2 home win over Bournemouth, he scored his second goal for his new club, a 25-yard volley, on December 10, 2016. Hendrick's strike was nominated for Goal of the Month, behind strikes by Alexis Sánchez in second and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in first, which would later win him the Burnley Goal of the Season award. Burnley defeated Watford 21-0 at Vicarage Road on February 4, 2017, and he was sent off against Watford in the sixth minute for a two-footed assault on José Holebas.

Hendrick began scoring for the first time on October 1st, ending with a move that required 24 passes. Burnley will beat 1–0 in a tense match. In a 1–0 home win over Newcastle United on Sunday, Sean Dyche scored his second goal of the season, marking Sean Dyche's fifth anniversary as Burnley's manager.

In the 0–0 draw at Huddersfield Town on December 30, Hendrick had a goal called out for offside and was denied a clear penalty. Jonas Lössl, a goalkeeper for Huddersfield, later admitted that he had been in touch with the midfielder:

Burnley finished seventh in the 2017–18 Premier League and qualified for the second qualifying round of the 2018–19 Europa League.

Burnley would face Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen in the second qualifying round of the Europa League on June 20. Hendrick made his Europa League debut at Pittodrie Stadium on July 26, 2018. In the 67th minute, Sam Vokes was replaced by Sam Vokes, who went on to score the equalizer, making it 1-1 in the 80th minute. Burnley had the advantage of an away goal when the game came to an end 1–1. Burnley were eventually disqualified in the play-off round after losing by 4–2 aggregate to Olympiacos. Hendrick appeared in all six matches of The Clarets' Europa League campaign, including Hendrick.

In a 4–2 loss to newly promoted Fulham on August 26, 2018, his first goal of the 2018–19 season came on. Hendrick signed a one-year contract extension on December 20, 2018, extending his stay at the club until the summer of 2020, with 91 Burnley appearances already made. Sean Dyche's boss thanked the midfielder: he lauded him for his service.

Hendrick started the scoring in a 2–2 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on April 22nd with a volley for his third goal of the season. Burnley's draw saw them score 40 points, effectively guaranteeing their place in the Premier League. Chelsea's goal was the 1,000th goal Chelsea had conceded in the Premier League, according to Hendrick's. For the club, this attack earned him his second Goal of the Season award.

Hendrick scored in his 100th Premier League appearance for Burnley on September 14th with a stoppage-time equalizer in a 1-1 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion. Hendrick had started 22 of Burnley's 29 matches before the 2019-20 season came to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, on June 23, 2020, Hendrick turned down a bid to remain at Burnley and would come to an end.

Hendrick, after leaving Burnley and being linked to Italian clubs Milan and Roma, has agreed to join Newcastle United in a free transfer on a four-year contract on August 24, 2020. Newcastle manager Steve Bruce praised his new signing by saying, "He's an experienced international footballer who can play all around the midfield." On and off the field, he'll be a big help to us."

In a pre-season friendly against Barnsley on August 29, he made his Newcastle debut in a 2–1 win. Hendrick scored and set up a goal for Callum Wilson on his first game for Newcastle in a 2–0 away victory over West Ham United two weeks later. In a 5–2 away loss to Leeds United on December 16, he scored his second goal of the season while still scoring. Hendrick was dismissed early in the second half of a 3–2 home victory over Southampton for a second bookable offence after pulling back Takumi Minamino. After the red card, pundit Alex Scott chastised him: "It's stupid." He doesn't even have to pull Takumi Minamino back there. He's not on target, and there's no reason for him to do what he did not do."

Newcastle finished in 12th place after Hendrick's sending off and was limited to replacement appearances from March to May. He finished the season with 23 appearances in all sports, scoring twice.

Newcastle defeated Wolverham Wanderers 2–1 away on October 2nd, his first goal of the 2021–22 season, as Newcastle remained winless in the league after seven matches.

Hendrick, who was severely limited at Newcastle on 31 January 2022 — his 30th birthday — joined Queens Park Rangers on loan until the end of the season. In a 2–0 FA Cup loss to Peterborough United, he made his QPR debut in a 2–0 FA Cup loss, starting as a replacement at the start of the second half. In a 2–2 home draw against Middlesbrough on February 9, he made his league debut for the club as a 60th-minute replacement.

In the end, Hendrick's loan spell at QPR did not go well. According to WhoScored.com, he had many poor outings for The Rs, ranking 19th out of 26 players to have played for the team throughout the season. Queens Park Rangers announced in a club statement that they would not be following up on the loan with a permanent deal. He made 11 appearances in all competitions without scoring a single goal.

Reading revealed the season-long loan signing of Hendrick, where he would team up with compatriot and fellow newcomer Shane Long on July 2022. He scored on his Reading debut in a pre-season friendly against Maidenhead United less than two hours after the loan agreement was agreed. In a 1–0 away loss to Blackpool on July 30th, he made his competitive debut for the club on July 30th.

In the 3–0 home loss to Sunderland on September 14, 2022, Hendrick made his 400th appearance in his career club appearance. In a 1–1 draw against Norwich City on October 4th, he scored his first competitive goal for Reading, keeping the Royals in third place in the table.

International career

Hendrick, who was born in Dublin, has been captained by Ireland at under-15, under-16, under-18, under-19, and under-21 levels. In July 2010, he was shortlisted for the Republic of Ireland's under-17 level International Player of the Year award. In a 1-0 victory over Poland U19s, he was instrumental in the U19s' highly regarded 2011 European Under-19 Championship qualifying campaign, putting in a "string of remarkable performances" as he played in all three group matches and notched the only goal of the match. Hendrick was named in the squad for the European Under-19 Championships in July 2011. He appeared in all four of Ireland's matches at the tournament, losing in the semi-finals to Spain.

Hendrick was called up to the Irish U21 squad for the first time after returning from the tournament. On September 9, 2011, he made his debut in a 2–1 victory over Austria U21s.

It was announced in January 2013 that Ireland head coach Giovanni Trappatoni was watching Hendrick with the intention of giving him his first call-up to the senior team, and Hendrick was called up to the senior squad to compete in a friendly against Poland on February 6, 2013. In the 2–0 win, Hendrick came on as a 71st-minute substitute for James McCarthy and also served as an assistant for Wes Hoolahan's second goal in this match, demonstrating superb composure in doing so with a well-executed ticket. In a match against World and European Champions Spain on June 12, 2013 at the Yankee Stadium in New York City, Hendrick made his first Ireland debut in his fourth cap. In the Euro 2016 qualifier against Georgia in the Aviva Stadium on September 7, he appeared on a number of television shows. Jonathan Walters' finish was a quick finish, but it was not the only goal of the match, given his run and nutmeg.

At Euro 2016, Hendrick appeared in all four of Ireland's matches. He scored against Sweden on the crossbar and was unfortunate not to score against Italy. He received a lot of praise for his work in the promotion of qualification to the knockout stages of the championship, as he was instrumental in securing qualification. In the Round of 16, Ireland eventually lost 2–1 to France.

On September 5, 2016, Hendrick scored his first goal for Ireland. In the third minute of a 2–2 away draw against Serbia in a 2018 World Cup qualifier qualifier, he opened the scoring with a low shot just outside the penalty zone that was deflected in off Branislav Ivanovi.

Ireland defeated Gibraltar in a Euro 2020 qualifier match on March 23, 2019, with a 12-yard goal in the 49th minute. In all competitions, Ireland's drought of 446 minutes without finding the net ended. In a 1–1 draw at home to Switzerland, Hendrick earned his 50th cap for Ireland on September 5th.

Hendrick was sent off in the 94th minute of a 1–0 away loss to Wales in a Nations League match on November 15, 2020, in what was his 60th appearance for Ireland.

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