Thierry Henry is back at Arsenal, doing some sessions with the youngsters, as he begins the process of getting his coaching badges.
The club’s leading scorer was at the Hale End academy this week, passing on his footballing wisdom to the next generation, and Arsene Wenger said that although he hasn’t seen Henry, he’s glad to have him around.
“Thierry makes his first steps as a coach and that’s always a bit impressive when you start,” he said. “It’s good for our young players to be coached by him, a legend of the club.
“He has been here once or twice but I don’t know how often he has to do his sessions. I don’t see him when he’s here because he’s on a different ground and he’s with the youth team.
“We are very happy to welcome everybody. All our former players come back here, all of them.”
Although that didn’t stop Sol Campbell going on a rant about his lack of coaching time at the club. In January he told the London Standard, “I’ve tried to do my coaching badges at Arsenal but they’ve not got back to me. I asked if I could do some of my badges there and I’ve had a few texts, but they’ve not got back to me with a firm offer to return. I’m disappointed.
“Is it rude? I don’t know.
“I’m talking about going to Arsenal once or twice a week for a couple of hours just to learn a bit about a coaching role – that’s all – but I’ve heard nothing.
“I’m disappointed but you just have to get on with it. I would have loved to do my badges at Arsenal but it looks like I’ll have to go to another club to do them. Maybe I should get myself down to Portsmouth and do them there.”
Indeed, Pompey was the club he left Arsenal for after telling the club he was going to move abroad and was thus released from his contract before popping up on the south-coast.
He had a second spell at with the Gunners in 2010, making 11 appearances in all.
However, an Arsenal statement suggested there was still room at the inn for Campbell, saying, “We are more than happy to help Sol in gaining his qualifications and will provide him with coaching time when we can organise convenient dates.”
The King Returns…
Next manager of Arsenal?
I think the next manager has to be the most appropriate, not the most nostalgic. Not saying Henry couldn’t one day become a great manager – Guillit did it – but calling for him to takeover is exactly the same situation with Giggs/Utd – it’s what we’d all love to see happen, for them to come in and be immensely successful, but it’s probably not going to happen automatically.
And also (controversial opinion puffin time), unless he improves drastically in the next few years I think we should rule out Klopp.
Yes! We can’t do a Liverpool.
I’m not pushing it, just interested to see what people think. I could see it if he had Arsene as advisor and other support in areas he (understandably, given his youth) has weaknesses in. His strengths are intelligence, charisma, connection to the club and legendary status, which is powerful.
You’re right to ask the question. If – and it’s a gigantic fucking if – Henry could be developed into the manager we want him to be, then I’m sold. Nobody at the club would turn him down if we could establish him as a worthy successor but to merit that he needs to be good enough. Unfortunately, great players do not make great managers. Obviously Gullit was the exception to the rule. Guardiola, Wenger and Simeone were all professionals but they are far superior as Managers. Sometimes the lesser players have to read the game differently – they can’t… Read more »
If we are just looking at ex players/legends then Henry would be awesome but not ahead of Bergkamp. Though his fear of flying ruins that.
Henry to manage, Bergkamp to coach?
And why not? Class plus more class, and all home bred. I’m loving the idea already…
So who’s the best of the old crop who could manage? I think Bergkamp would make a great intelligent coach. The Dutch make for great technitions and his talent with youth would be great. I would think if Lee Dixon ever got into managing he would be good. Very intelligent, knows his stuff and defenders make good managers ala Wenger. Henry for some reason comes from the heart to much and not the head, think he would make an awesome coach I just can’t see him as a top top manager with the pressure that brings. Vieira would make a… Read more »
Keown, very bright, comes across well. Gilberto Silva, saw the bigger picture from midfield.
Though I agree totally, we just don’t know – Arsene wasn’t a great player but is a great manager, Cygan (!! chosen at random…) could be the man to be similar. We go for the obvious eg Klopp, Henry but that doesn’t mean they will cut it and miss others that come out of nowhere, like Arsene.
I think I understand your point, but could you check your post and clarify, please?!
To: Bergkamp above.
Btw, I loved it when Martin became a TV pundit. I was astonished when the monster – beast from the pitch became the most erudite on the circuit and his analysis made him the most interesting commentator. Wow, I love the man. Jekyll and Hyde or what?!
Sol is weird. Not Tony Adams weird but still.
All that heading the ball from centre-back must do something funny to your head 😉
Yeah, he used to be my favorite player back when he was playing. But he lost it for me when he walked out of his contract with Notts County after just a few days. It was bonkers to sign for them & then dishonorable to walk out of the contract when things didn’t turn out the way he hoped.
Here here
It’s high time.
I find it a bit odd that an article about Thierry Henry ends up with more than half citing Sol Campbell. Maybe Blogs has been a centre half too?
who could have thought that?
sol is simply put, a nutter.
Definately a deeply troubled Sol.
Arsenal should do a thorough Sol searching and find it within their souls to help out the troubled Sol, if only for his bold move to sign in from the sh*t team across the road
I’m a Sol man, I’m a Sol man…
I love Arsenal, but somehow I love them more with Thiery.
Shame that an amazing piece of news, such as the wonderful Thierry returning to the club to lend his influence to the next generation of Gunners, is marred by the quotes from Sol who seems unable to manage an email account. Who sorts out their career with ‘a few texts’?
Don’t get me wrong, love Sol the player. But the man seems to be a bit odd.
WELCOME HOME HENRY!!
Sense of entitlement? Sol that is, or what? Strange man… Possibly jealous of Henry? Possibly not, only he knows…
Just gonna leave this here. it makes me happy in my places.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/t31.0-8/10848578_10152882012512713_8237757569118898962_o.jpg
Sol is a legend. He was an absolute BEAST of a CB with pace and muscle. He saved our ass many times and was an invincible. I don’t know the full tale but he deserves our support.
I agree…… but still, he is a bit weird. Let’s not forget that he went to watch Mama Mia the musical 7 times in one season, he’s definitely not right!
Life is so unfair;
Here I am toiling day to day on a 9 to 5 and hoping to catch our next game on telly (I’m in Nigeria) while some lucky kids get to have their careers kickstarted by The King Himself?! I’m proceeding on hunger strike…
Good to see the King doing his badges at Arsenal. I think wenger should also let him work with the strikers too.
Someone like Akpom or Sanogo would benefit immensely from training with him.
I never liked Sol. Once Spurs, always Spurs.
Ex-Priest ‘Trollin’ more like.
Can I start a petition for a ban from Arseblog News on the basis of the number of times we get sh*te comments, huge downvotes and so on. I’m bored of it now.
No. Don’t be a troll yourself. Let the man have his say.
Once we get something from him that we say ‘that’s interesting’ or ‘good point’.
Sol was a key part of the Invincibles, I felt great seeing him and Arsene walk across to his first press conference, his first performance at White Hart Lane etc. If Sol was Spurs he wouldn’t have joined us. Etc Etc.
Trolling, it is a consistent theme with the Ex-Priest. He is more likely to be a Spurs fan himself, the reactions he is trying to get.
I’m not trying to get any reactions, I’m just posting my honest opinions. Some of my opinions may not be too popular but no one is forcing you to read them.
All that I’ve ever seen.
Well, I’m not changing my posting style to suit your tastes, so you better get used to it.
OK, try to say something interesting or that makes a good point rather than the usual sh*te that gets down-voted. Then I’ll applaud you.
If you slag off Arsenal legends like Sol then you’ll remain a w*nker.
And I’ll keep pushing for a ban.
‘Arsenal Legend’ is a subjective term last time I checked. We should be open to different points of view, not mandating what people say and don’t say – there’s a diverse range of views in our fanbase. Don’t act like a child just because someone doesn’t like the same player as you.
Because he’s not being a fanboy and shouting “na na nananana Giroud” or being a sheep by saying “so and so is a cunt lets disregard his talent” makes him a troll??
Yeah that’s really very mature of you.
I might not agree with what he said, but i won’t ask for a ban because someone has an opinion which isn’t “positive enough” for me to handle.
That’s fine, I’m old enough to appreciate someone that has something worthwhile to say, even if uncomfortable to hear because it is true.
‘I never liked Sol. Once Spurs, always Spurs’ doesn’t chime with any Arsenal fan – please defend it if you think there is any merit in it so I can understand why it is worth saying and is an ‘honest opinion’ given what Sol did for us.
Its the consistent and constant negativity from the priest that bugs me.. endless. Don’t know why he bothers to post ….
Is that a zipped up coat I see? Great to see Henry around the club.
Henry was an intelligent player and he has that attribute to make a good manager. He needs to learn how to man manage of course and no better person than Wenger to teach him the tricks of the trade in the market. That said, I think Wenger will be concern with leaving his legacy (The club) with the best man for the job when eventually he retires from the scene (or becomes director of football) Options will include grooming from within or bringing in from outside. I think the club will want someone who shares Wenger’s philosophy and ethos and… Read more »
I want Simeone at least so city doesn”t get him.