We’ll never know if he knew what was happening or not.
We’re in the fifth minute, Harry Arter has gone down with an injury. The Danes have pulled up and they’re about to be sound and kick the ball out of play so Arter can receive treatment.
Not on Jeff Hendrick’s watch.
The Dub nicked in, stole position and waltzed into an acre of space with everyone else stopped and just Kasper Schmeichel to beat.
The chance was always going to be Ireland’s best – and, well, only – opportunity of a dull, dull first half but it was spurned by the Burnley midfield who passed up the option of squaring to Shane Long and hit the wrong side of the net instead.
Naturally, the Danes took great exception to what happened because they had only stopped in the first place because Ireland were a man down and Arter was in need of attention.
They could’ve been a goal down in the most controversial circumstance but James McClean was there to back up Hendrick.
Find something to love as much as James McClean loves his country#IREDEN pic.twitter.com/FF9WzOtu8E
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) October 13, 2018
Jon Walters was on Sky Sports as an analyst on Saturday night and, whilst most people – even the Irish – were happy to see Hendrick’s chance go begging because of the nature of how it came about, Walters had greater faith in his team mate.
He thinks everything was under control all along.
Good sportsmanship from Jeff to put it out for a goal kick #IREDEN #COYBIG 🇮🇪
— Jonathan Walters (@JonWalters19) October 13, 2018
Walters did clarify that he could only assume Hendrick didn’t know what happened. His back was to Arter after all and he blocked what he could well have thought was a pass attempt.
“He hasn’t got it in him, Jeff, to do that,” Walters said.
“He’s not that type of lad.”
