Does Euro 2016 create new hope for Derby County’s Jeff Hendrick?

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International competitions always throw up players that surprise people and Euro 2016 is no different. There have been plenty of upsets and glorious victories, with plenty of players making a name for themselves on the international stage for the first time and attracting a lot of attention in the process.

One such player is Derby’s Jeff Hendrick. Having come through Derby’s academy, the Irishman really broke into Derby’s first team midfield in the 2011-12 season and has been a regular alongside Craig Bryson and Will Hughes ever since. He has always shown promise and quality, so his barnstorming performances in Ireland’s midfield during this summer’s European Championship should be no surprise to Derby fans, yet many are indeed surprised by just how good he has been. Whilst all fans do rate Hendrick as a good player, many would put Bryson and Hughes ahead of him on the teamsheet, largely down to his inconsistency and ability to sometimes just drift in and out of games for the Rams. His performances for Ireland have been nothing less than magnificent and many wonder why he only sporadically replicates those performances for Derby.

It could be something as simple as a mental thing. At Derby, the past few years have been ones of relative success, meaning Derby are generally favourites to win every game, leading to a lot of pressure on the players from fans and pundits alike. For some players, whether they know it or not, this can really effect how they play and lead to them holding back, playing cautiously and not wanting to get on the wrong side of the crowd. However, with Ireland, they have been underdogs in every match they have played, meaning Hendrick has been able to play his natural game and move further forward, have a crack from long distance and not be afraid to try something risky that might just pay off.

As we’ve seen so far, and particularly against Sweden, his shooting has been excellent and he’s come close to getting his first international goal on a few occasions this tournament. There have been glowing articles about him all over the media, with Robbie Keane revealing he urged Tottenham to sign Hendrick when he first emerged at Derby.

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Another potential reason is the coaching methods at Ireland differing from those at Derby. Martin O’Neill could be the genius behind this form, allowing Hendrick to move further forward and express himself, something previous coaches at Derby may have put the dampers on in an effort to retain shape in midfield and not get caught out on the break. This could largely be down to the style of play that international teams use. The Championship is a fast-paced league and doesn’t allow people to make a mistake unpunished, whereas international football is of a slower pace, allowing Hendrick the time to foray forward but not worry too much about leaving a gap in midfield as he likely will have time to get back. If it is down to the O’Neill/Keane coaching, then Nigel Pearson may want to take some advice from them on how to get the best out of Hendrick – assuming Derby can keep the Irishman over the summer.

It may even be worth considering Hendrick has simply matured enough to know when to move forward and when to make the right pass or tackle etc. He is still only 24 years old and much of his time at Derby has been spent learning the ropes, something he continues to do. His exposure to a higher level of football may be just what he needed to continue his development and has left him a cleverer player as a result. At Derby he has had months at a time without really effecting any match in a positive way, which may have been down to his mindset, having not experienced how to return to form without the wisdom of wiser and more experienced players around him. There can be no doubt that playing alongside the likes of Wes Hoolahan and John O’Shea has improved him, with their knowledge of football surely having aided Hendrick’s development on and off the pitch.

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Chances are, it is a myriad of all these factors, with Hendrick having benefited in almost every way from his exposure to a higher level of football, particularly on an international stage. With a new regime now in charge at Derby, one can only hope that Hendrick will embrace the new challenge and show the class that he’s shown at the Euros, something he’s always threatened to do. This could be the coming of age where he truly transforms into a very good player indeed. Derby now have to just hope they can keep the 24-year-old away from the prying eyes of the Premier League, that are bound to be interested should his form carry on further into the Euro competition.

Featured Image – All Rights Reserved by Tom Beary.