Thierry Henry is one step closer to becoming a top-level coach after successfully completing his UEFA A-Licence with the Football Association of Wales.
The Frenchman confirmed the achievement posting a picture with his certificate and FAW Technical Director Osian Roberts.
Massive thanks to Osian Roberts @FAWCoachEd & Arsenal Academy for helping me pass my UEFA A Coaching Licence #proud pic.twitter.com/k71BCF4dwj
— Thierry Henry (@ThierryHenry) March 10, 2016
Having already secured the UEFA B-Licence (a qualification earned in nine days) Henry still needs to take the mandatory UEFA Pro Licence before he’s allowed to manage in any of Europe’s top leagues. He does though qualify to manage in a lower division or at academy level.
It has taken Henry, 38, a year to earn the A-Licence, a course that, “aims to educate candidates in the technical, tactical, physical and mental requirements of modern football, so that they may devise, organise, conduct and evaluate coaching sessions in advanced skills, tactics, strategies and systems of play.”
Alongside eight two-day contact sessions in Wales, Henry has been gaining experience at Arsenal’s Hale End and London Colney training facilities, regularly appearing in the dugout at the Gunners’ UEFA Youth League fixtures.
To even take the Pro Licence, Henry needs to demonstrate that he’s had twelve months coaching experience as a UEFA ‘A’ Licence holder; experience he could continue to accumulate under the stewardship of Arsene Wenger and Andries Jonker.
Well done to Thierry, but there’s still a long way to go…something a lot of people seem to forget when they throw his name into the hat as a possible replacement for Arsene Wenger.
Didn’t Tim Sherwood get a job at Sp*rs without the right qualification?
Very curious to actually see his management acumen.
It may surprise people but I’m actually more excited for Arteta as a manager, I feel he demonstrates good leadership and tactical awareness, with Wenger having referred to him as a technical leader for the team on the pitch. Very curious to see how it translates into coaching.
That said, I’m super happy for Henry – just can’t not love him and you know when he puts his mind to something and the confidence naturally oozes out, something special is bound to happen.
I think Arteta will go on to be a really good coach. He appears to have that tactical knowledge of the game, but more importantly he seems to be a good communicator – which I think is crucial for a modern day manager (essentially they are communicating their ideas to their players, aren’t they?).
Of our past players I always thought Lee Dixon would have made a good manager, it’s a shame he went down the punditry route.
I agree.
There is still a very long way to go for Henry, though I genuinely hope he makes the grade, and he is the one who carries us further forward after Arsene.
Awesome for Henry, would be great to see him make it as a manager. Even better if he could make it to Arsenal standard. I hate to change the subject but is it me or does Campbell never get the praise he deserves for his performances? His work rate is up there with Alexis – he tracks back, tackles and has a lot more technical ability than I ever see him get credit for. Played some lovely passes in the hull game and was the best player on the pitch against Swansea yet was subbed first?! Everyone I know seems… Read more »
He could definitely be another George Graham for us; top class player and a great manager
It’s great news and I think if he shows what he can do in the lower leagues he could in 10 years be manager of Arsenal. Arteta is a good shout, but I’m also wishing Viera to come back too!
Curious about the Bergkamp reports. Perhaps a future combo of Henry + Bergkamp (as assistant or the other way round) could work?
wouldn’t be the first time Bergkamp has assisted Henry.
there is something about a multi-millionaire retired footballer who can pick and choose his media work and commercial endorsements as he pleases, but effectively doesn’t have to worry about work or money, but instead chooses to start at the bottom of a new pyramid – coaching – and learn all over again, which is amazing. not just TH14 of course – after all look at how well Gary Neville is employing his coaching badges at Valencia errrr – but it says something about work ethic and love of the game when a retired footballer pursues their badges in coaching. and… Read more »
But Henry still hold the record of assists. On the pitch, he was a team player. I even think that in very big games like world cup or CL finals, he used to give the ball to others too much instead of taking responsability to win it as the very big striker. He was never hated by teamates but never much loved either. Just have the feeling he needs to improve his people skill a tiny bit.
I’d be amazed if he was any good.
Stranger things have happened tho. If he turned out a badboy manager and managed Arsenal it’s fairytale shit.
None of that Shearer crap — he took his club down then fucked off at the first sign.
To be fair, Shearer was hired as an interim manager to finish the last month of the season, and they were already in relegation territory when he took over.
Mr Blogs comments that “something a lot of people seem to forget when they throw his name into the hat as a possible replacement for Arsene Wenger.”
If the license is a necessity and one ought to go through a year for gaining the eligibility to coach top-tier teams, then how did the like of Ryan Giggs, Alan Shearer et al. managed teams when they only just quit?
Exactly how many great players become great coaches? I’d say it was the exception rather than the rule. That’s not to say I don’t wish for a great Arsenal team led by a great Arsenal and world football legend!
Great players are the exception. Great managers are the exception. Someone who is both a great manager and great player is an exception to the exception. Great players are probably more likely than your random bloke off the street to be a great manager, but it’s still a tiny chance.
That said, there’s Guardiola, Simeone, Ancelotti who all immediately come to mind. All great managers who were great (if perhaps just not quite in the same caliber as Henry) players.
There are probably lots of others that just aren’t immediately occurring to me as well.
I’d love to see Bergkamp, Henry and Arteta in our coaching department, no matter what positions they hold.
Congrats to Titi!
But whether he’ll put that to good use is another matter. Many players don’t make the transition successfully, mind.
I’d prefer an englishman as our next manager
So you would prefer Pulis to a foreigner?
The same way that the Queen and Prime minister are English and not French. Yeah you can be an employee if you’re a foreigner but not a leader. And to answer your question buddy I don’t rate Pulis but there are Englishmen fit for the job.
Englishmen like who? I wouldn’t have any of the current crop in the prem:
Steve McLaren – joke
Eddie Howe – not ready
Pardew – psychopath who can only gee up a team until Christmas
Alex Neil – rubbish
Sam Allardyce – hoofball pioneer (the best we’d do is not get relegated)
David platt . Assistant manager at city when they won the league. Not so good at Forrest but they have been bad for years. A winner and a captain on pitch. Worked with Wenger , Ericsson , traptoni, etc.. All top tactical managers to learn from as a player. Terry butcher had some good season in Scotland. Pulls is Welsh.
Who that english manager at the present time ? You’re gonna have to wait for John Terry or Rooney, lol.
My pick everyday would be Tony Adams, phenomenal lad, Mr.Arsenal and sums up what Arsenal is really about. Just to clarify I am not racist, I love all our foreign players like Alexis but do think we would benefit from an Englishman in charge. I don’t understand why this is so controversial, people said the exact same thing about the Englamd job before Hodgson was appointed, there’s nothing wrong with wanting English leadership for am English company.. And yet you all who think yourselves to be so righteous begrudge city for having Arabs as a key part of their makeup.
Definitely on a wind-up.
do you feel the same about non English arsenal fans?
I’m just referring to leadership. Employees can be from anywhere as I had already stated. Supporters of course can support our team too.
Oh… my.. god..
I’m just… speechless and the analogy with the Queen is simply fucked.. as well as the logic crying on the floor after this rape
Think you’re overdoing the shocked Peter Perfect there. I want the best manager we can find, no matter where he or she comes from, but it’s a bit rich to call xenophobe against an Englishmen who would like an Englishman as the manager of an English team. It’s not that strange a wish. How many Americans would like an English coach for their favourite baseball team, for example? (I’m not assuming you are American, it’s just an example). Think they’d probably go with Americans on the whole. Does that make them xenophobes? Having said that, Tony Adams is absolutely the… Read more »
The Queen is German
For all you thumbing this guy up, is Pulis even English
Sorry to disappoint you, but ze Queen iz German…
Maybe we should choose Walcott to be captain because he plays for England too, but then again, he’s pops is black…
Now that IS racist. If it were my board you’d be gone inside 60 seconds.
Apart from the fact he’s Welsh.
Pulis is Welsh, ergo he’s not a foreigner, but he isn’t English either. He is a dick though. There are many, many Welsh people that are much nicer than him, and don’t incite their friends to kick people. Pretty much all of them, in fact. People often overlook the fact that the English Premier League includes teams from both England and Wales. In my opinion that means a fan of an English team that would prefer an English manager should be equally happy to have a Welsh manager if he wants whatever he thinks being English brings to the table… Read more »
Why? What difference does it make? Surely we should be after the best available regardless of nationality.
I think you’re missing the /sarcasm font there mate. Either that or you’ve wandered onto this site by accident.
Arteta would be my man. He came in at a time we were starting to lose our plot and he alongside BFG helped turn it around and put us on an upward trajectory. They are legends imo. I would love to see Arteta stick around forever. I would be disappointed if he takes the Viera route and goes to city.
Agreed. Thierry has come out with too much rubbish as a pundit for me to consider him as a future manager of Arsenal. Mikel is always diplomatic, always positive and people forget that we couldn’t win anything without him for two full seasons. He has the talent to be a manager without the ego problems that Thierry has. If Mikel goes to city with Pep I could understand why, and it would be a very smart move by Pep, who would get all the knowledge he needs about the league and more, but it would hurt me more than any… Read more »
A pundit who doesn’t spout bullshit is a useless pundit and won’t be hired the following week. They are encouraged to give opinions, and to make those opinions newsworthy.
Plus, if you don’t have a big ego you won’t be much of a manager. You don’t win shit by being a shrinking violet.
Sorry for the double post but the idea of Henry possibly managing Arsenal has snowballed in my head. All of the comments in recent years from both Wenger and the board have given me the impression that they know full well who they intend to approach as Wenger’s replacement. I specifically remember someone from the board saying a few years ago something along the lines of “we hope to find a managerial appointment that will make everyone happy.” – a very general statement I agree, but the more I think about Wenger as a person and his love of Japenese… Read more »
Well done and keep it up chum!
On a personal level, its lovely that Henry has achieved the next level of his badges. On a professional level, I would imagine Arsenal couldn’t give a fish’s tit since I doubt very much the next incumbent is likely to be someone with no management track record. I don’t get this puerile fixation with the next manager or whatever being an ex-player. Especially when its one who, just like Vieira, fucked off at the first sign of a better deal elsewhere. Kiddies, time we stopped projecting our love for the club on hired hands. They do it because its a… Read more »
Correct me if you think I have this wrong but……. I seem to recall that it was Wenger who asked both Viera and Henry if they’d like to speak to the clubs they’d had offers from, ie, he sold them when he felt their best was nearly behind them.
I do agree that it should be the best person for the job and not based on sentimental nostalgia.
Would love to see both,T H& Dennis
Back with us,in any capacity.
Cant wait for us to not offer him a job and he goes to utd
Fans always speculate about club legends as future managers but it rarely happens, and when it does it often ends in tears (Shearer at Newcastle, Seedorf and Born Offside at Milan, etc). But it is happening to a crazy extent in La Liga now, with all top three clubs coached by bona fide club legends. And Henry looks serious about coaching + has a better relationship with Wenger or Arsenal than Vieira or many other former players, so you never know. A lot of people saying they have their money on Arteta to be a better manager, etc, but one… Read more »
Hopefully this will keep him busy and out of the pundit booth.
Henry would be a poor man manager in my books. There’s no doubt that he’s an intelligent guy and understands the game, but I don’t think he’ll be able to get the players to buy into his ideas like someone like Dennis or Arteta would.
Then again, we’ve got to remember the managers who he played under: Ancelotti, Wenger, Pep, Rijkaard…he definitely should’ve picked something up from them.