As pressure on Arsene Wenger mounts following yesterday’s 3-0 defeat in the Carabao Cup final, Thierry Henry admits that being manager of Arsenal one day would be a dream for him.
However, the club’s record all-time goalscorer didn’t expand greatly because of his close relationship with the manager and his current work as assistant to Roberto Martinez with the Belgian national team.
Speaking on Sky Sports after the game, Henry said, “I still have a job to do with Belgium, but let’s see what’s going to happen.
“It will be a dream for me, but I’m still with Belgium. Interested? Yes, who wouldn’t be?”
“But I can’t talk about that out of respect for the man that is in charge still and my job that I’m doing right now with Belgium.
“But who wouldn’t be interested?”
It has been rumoured for some time that Henry would be Josh Kroenke’s first choice to replace Wenger, and with the American set for a more hands-on role at the club in the near future there may be more to this than just speculation.
Son of Stan is currently in the UK analysing the way the club is run, and we’ve heard whispers that there could well be a boardroom shake-up this summer which sees him take a prominent position.
It seems more and more inevitable that this season will be the manager’s last at the club, but would Henry’s lack of experience be an issue?
It’s something we discuss on the new Arsecast Extra, check it out below.
Nah you’re alright, Thierry.
As much as I’d love to see Henry as the Arsenal boss and do well, realistically that isn’t going to happen. It’s a pipe dream. He isn’t going to be able to walk into a job as big as Arsenal without any sort of managerial experience and succeed. And that’s even before you start getting into the details about how much of a mess everything is on the inside of the club right now. Sorting everything out is going to be a mammoth task for any manager, let alone for a guy who has zero managerial experience, other than doing… Read more »
“Jaaaaash Kroenke’ Yeaaah Haww”
much lols at this
Zidane? Was he not equally experienced when winning everything with Real Madrid?
I understand what you’re asking but, Zidane was the B team boss and was probably working closely with the senior manager to see how things were run.
He is also a football god and possibly the greatest player of recent times.
Fair enough on the management points but dont forget how good Henry was. Certainly in the same bracket as Zidane.
Henry has a vast knowledge of the game, teams, tactics and players. All previous teammates and coaches he had say that of him. He is just interested in knowing how a B team in Ireland is playing. Tactics wise he can be there with Pep but in terms of managing people, I do not rate him high. Pep too can be lousy in the way he deals with certain players (Zlatan, Eto’o, Yaya Toure etc…). I am saying Henry would be a gamble but it can work big time.
knowing is very different from managing. Considering Henry has never managed a single game giving him the Arsenal job would be almost as bad as leaving Wenger in charge.
So was Tony Adams.
Zidane was sporting director and also helped with some coaching (at least observed) under Mourihno, learned under Ancelloti as and assistant and then coached the B team for a year. While it wasn’t a huge amount of experience, it was certainly a lot more than Henry has.
I’ve just thought long and hard about this whole situation (well for about 15 mins to be honest) and deep down I couldn’t tell you if we need an Ancellotti; or a Zidane; a Marco Silva; or anyone on the many managers in the German, Italian, French league who I couldn’t tell you what they look like or who and how they manage; or an ex-player. But I do know that whoever it is it cant happen soon enough. If its Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Graham Potter or Harry Potter lets just do it and I’ll get behind them because… Read more »
Totally disagree with this (other than Arsene having to leave ASAP, which is obvious to everyone). We need to go all out for an experienced, quality manager to replace someone with such a vast influence on the way the entire club is run. No fucking gambling on a pundit akin to Gary Neville at Valencia, no appointing some awful mid-table manager like David Moyes; an absolutely colossal effort to get a top manager is needed. [I’m also not someone who has a vast knowledge of these things, or actually any responsibility in the matter, so no I don’t have a… Read more »
Im being a little bit ironic but there’s a serious point, it’s not my decision who we appoint. The board aren’t going to listen to the fans or press so whoever is eventually appointed all we can do is back them, no point our fans bitching because their horse didn’t win.
That was said after Wenger signed a new contract and look where that’s got us 7 months down the line.
Sometimes it’s worth having a pre-emptive moan to prepare yourself mentally for the disaster round the corner.
I’ll put my money on Harry Potter!
Harry Potter could certainly bring the magic back into the team!
I think we need a Manager with experience and the capabilities to build the squad to a competitive level. Once that happens then we think about Henry. Barca can get away with inexperienced (elite teams) managers because of the sheer talent of their players/ academy. Real are in a similar boat – we are not.
The repairs needed at Madrid are not of the same scale as those needed at arsenal
Well he won’t be fresh out of a studio. He is an integral part of Belgium setup, and will be at the WC. That is something. Also he is highly valued as a tactician. He wouldn’t have got the Belgium job for nothing and its a bit of a well known secret that before Pep went to City he was waiting for Wenger to step down and had lined up TH14 as his No. 2. Only when Wenger refused to go did Pep target elsewhere. So someone like Pep wanting TH14 as his no. 2 is in itself an indication… Read more »
What you say about 2 managers to sort out this mess brings Germany to mind. Klinsmann did a great job there and Low completed it.
Jurgen Klinsmann taking Arsenal to the top. How sweet would that be.
Anyway, for Henry, it’s a no from me.
Klinsmann was nothing short of a disaster at Bayern and the US. Increasingly Germany looks like it really was Low as the brains behind that run.
Klinsmann anywhere near Arsenal would make me sick in my mouth a little.
Some bizarre ideas on here. Backing Henry because of Zidane is laughable he has some of the finest players in the world. Hardly a good example to use. Klinsmann? Doubt you’ll find to many American agree with that one. Low was with him in the first place, he didn’t finish the job he started. Klinsmann was just a popular World Cup winner to get the fans onside.
My opinion maybe later Thierry, Dutch the punditry shite and get onboard as an assistant somewhere. Maybe even the gunners under our new boss whoever he may be.
I got a bit of insight here if you don’t mind. Someone experienced who has won stuff. The wheels are not in place for a young, idealistic manager. We need to get solid in every sense before we can dream big again. Don’t underestimate the damage this last five years has done our club. Reputations and mentalities are harder to shake off than a season with a new gaffer.
Completely agree with IamaGoober. Fear though that it may be considered as those fools at the top believe it is what the fans want (& will thus at least short term get them off their backs so they can return to an easy life). Plus it has a certain ring to it for both the PR & Marketing departments so can be commercially successfully spun again at least short term. Plus I genuinely believe they are all fresh out of ideas (having tried nothing). Son of S(a)tan can go & @#$& himself for all I care. We’re a current shitshow… Read more »
Henry had the opportunity to have a coaching role at arsenal but he chose the money sky threw at him. He keeps claiming he’s a fan yet he talks shit about the club all the time, even when we’re doing well. He says he respects Arsene Wenger yet constantly disrespects him, especially saying he’d fancy the man’s job when there’s so much pressure on Wenger. Without Wenger Henry wouldn’t be anything, anyone who wants to argue that go back a read henry’s history and just what kind of player he was before Wenger managed him at Monaco and at arsenal.… Read more »
Please God, no.
That’s it, run to Bergkamp with your Thierry problems.
He’s not ready to be first team coach, but I’d bring him on as part of the team of new coaches, like Arteta at Citeh.
Henry is not going to do an apprenticeship… he will only become a coach at a big club like arsenal or Barca and if it goes badly he will fall back on punditry.
I love him and all but I don’t think football is his first love.
If we are going for a legend we get bergkamp assisted by arteta.
And he’ll never be ready unless he learns to speak in clear, coherent sentences, instead of the incomprehensible gibberish he serves up every time he’s on Sky.
@Clarkey I think that’s a bit harsh. Personally I believe a lot of the time Henry is such a huge Arsenal fan, and he’s so close to the club that he can’t really say what he wants to say. So he has to be careful with his words. He can’t start serving up the stuff that Neville does because of the conflict in interest. He knows Wenger really well, the backroom staff, he knows lots of the players really well. So he can’t start digging people out as he knows it would come back to him. Neville is the same… Read more »
It’s his inability to convey an idea, any idea, which is the problem.
It is Arteta, Wenger’s captain and now Guardiola’s assistant, who sounds like a likely manager for Arsenal.
I vote for Carlo Ancelotti and his eyebrows.
Massimo Allegri
No.
Maybe in the future but only on the condition that he is not going to fuck off to Barcelona at a crucial point in our club’s history to coach people like Messi, spend more money and win more trophies to add to his glittering resume.
Josh Kroenke. King maker. Has a shit ring to it? No..?
Wont work out cos of the state were in.
I think Tony Adams would be a better option. At least he has some experience of managing.
Are you mad?
It’s possible. But Adams has more managerial experience – even failed projects, and has better suits ?
If we’re looking at former players my choice would be Bergkamp. Huge amounts of experience, knows the club and his vision could really transform players like Ozil, Ramsey and Wilshere.
I’d also bring Sol in to sort out our shambles of a back line and big Dave to sort our keepers out!
Probably all a pipe dream.
Not sure I see why people would be against it looking at some of the comments.
Zidane’s ‘apprenticeship’ was a season under Ancelotti and then he was the main man. I just would like someone who ‘gets’ what it means to play for Arsenal and to instill it into the players…… as well as being a master tactician, manager of men, a massive transfer budget to utilise and also likes puppies.
Zidane actually worked two seasons under Ancellotti and then coached the B team while Rafa was in charge.
Zidane was full-time at Madrid from his playing days to his appointment as manager; that’s a relevant difference as well.
Yes! Think about it, it’s since Thierry left his coaching role we’ve been awful! There literally can’t be any other reason guys I’ve finally worked it out!
Get him the job TODAY!
All seriousness though it would be great if he could do a zidane at some point.
No thanks. He’d make a terrible coach. He’s already an average pundit. Gary Neville’s stint should be an example as to why we shouldn’t even consider him. Arteta is the only ex gooner I’m interested in seeing as coach sometime in the future.
For now, Allegri and Jardim are my picks. Favre wouldn’t be bad too.
Maurizio Sarri is one that I would love for us to look at.
He and Ozil and Wilshere can have a smoke on the sideline during the games. C’mon. Born and bred Napoli man, knows zero English.
Most foreign managers come here with zero English knowledge. He will be all right if he wants to come here.
Haha Sarri would go absolutely mental with our lot. Either he or many of them would be gone within a week.
Allegri isn’t doing that well at Juve, many fans want Conte back.
Give it to Sol ?
Because Sol has coaching experience ?
Sorry but it just wouldn’t work.
I want Conte
While this wouldn’t be a good appointment.
If I were only given the choice between more Wenger, or this. Anything to change the record! They use it as torture in some places.
I remember seeing an interview Wenger did with Martin Keown, where with his sneering smile stated ‘Well errrrr -I will leave the club in a good position etc’. What a load o bollocks Wenger. If it was up to him he’d pick a successor from the Japanese league, a weak lily livered coach.
Love the King and his fanlike passion and fickleness. But manager, hell no..He hasn’t even managed a proper club yet. He can take over like zidane, when our squad is as good as Real’s. Otherwise, it will be another Shearer and Newcastle. We need a seasoned professional to perform the major surgery that is needed, a rookie will kill us in the process.
You need to earn the right to manage Arsenal. We need a proven MANAGER like Allegri.
Why would Allegri leave an historic club like Juventus, in a beautiful city like Torino, with a roster of superstar players… for Arsenal? C’mon.
$$$$
Torino is a beautiful city chief?!!!!!??????!!!???
I’m going there every year Manchester looks like Barcelona in comparison
Maybe he can bring Szczesny with him.
Being a great player does not neccesarily translate to being good at management/coaching. Curious that he chose punditry when Wenger gave him the ultimatum.
With all due respect to henry but I don’t think he’s ready for such a tough job, if he takes the job he could even tarnish his legacy at the club (like a particular person just did) .. I think Ancheloti would be more of a logical choice
I would very much prefer an experienced manager with clear vision to steady the ship.
The only legends I see having managerial acumen for a club like ours are Vieira and Bergkamp. Maybe Arteta if he’s even slightly behind the sporting aesthetics of City.
Viera? Maybe. Arteta? Probably the best candidate with Mert as his assistance. They both have the brain to be great in coaching..
I’m amazed at this regular assumption that Arteta is better set up to be a successful manager than the likes of Vieira. Why? Vieira was a much, much, much better player & none of us know what they are like on the training pitch so….I’m genuinely bemused.
Vieira was a much better player, but Maradona was better than either. Let’s appoint him. Will also make Aguero angry.
Very amusing I’m sure. God forbid you’d actually try to answer a genuine question.
Its a very good point Kwame; there seem to been a weird bias and huge assumption that Mertesacker and Arteta are going to become top coaches. Buts lets be real, Arteta has only just started out as an assistant and BFG hasn’t done anything yet. Vieira (and lets be clear BFG nor Arteta achieved anything at Arsenal compared to Paddy) did his coaching badges back in 2011 or 2012 and has held an executive position at Man City, as well successful stints as youth team and reserve team coach there. He has overhauled an aging squad as manager at NY… Read more »
Exactly Jimbo.
For the record, I think the mess at Arsenal at the minute means I don’t think it’s a job for an inexperienced manager. I’m not advocating Paddy for the job at all. For me, we should go & offer the world to Simeone….but if not him, it has to be someone with similar experience at the top level.
My answer to you was based on the “evidence” you were using, not your basic point. Vieira’s having been a better player than Arteta is completely irrelevant to whether he would be a better manager. Completely. As to why people seem to mention Arteta more than Vieira as a possible manager, I think one factor is simply visibility. We see Arteta on the Man City bench, near Pep, every time we watch them play, while Patrick is in New York. As to other factors that I think you are implying–unfortunately, I don’t think you are wrong. Is that a serious… Read more »
I wasn’t using that as ‘evidence’ at all. I only pointed out that Vieira was a much better player as that is something that people often use (wrongly) as an argument & I was just making the point that it wouldn’t even apply here so unsure as to where the Arteta assumption comes from. Can see how you read it that way though when I read again. Totally agree with you it has no relevance. (for the record though, Vieira was a ridiculously fierce competitor & a finer leader than Arteta, I think they are qualities as a player that… Read more »
Been a better player or a great player dosen’t mean you will be a great or better coach. Examples abound everywhere. Maradona was clearly better than Guardiola or Simeone or Pochetino as a player, yet, he is inferior to them in the coaching field, and in reading games.
We have many scrap players who turns out to be great coaches and examples are Arsene Wenger himself, Mourinhno, late Tito Vilanova
What makes you think I don’t agree with you on all that, who wouldn’t ? You still haven’t explained anywhere in your response though what it is about Arteta that makes you (& so many others) so convinced he will be a great coach. Maybe he will be…..but it seems a massive assumption that loads of people are making that it is a certainty & I don’t understand why. I’m really curious.
You want to know why I think Arteta will be a great coach and others as well? Look at what his ex coach (Wenger) has to say.. he has leadership qualities,” the boss told Arsenal Player “He is a winner and he is focused every day to do well. “He has an impact on his partners. That is a little bit difficult to explain sometimes, but I believe he is highly focused on football. He has a passion there was never a doubt in my mind, the way I see him behave every day, that he would finish in football,… Read more »
Fair enough. We’ll wait & see. I think though if you’ve watched Arsenal the last 4/5 years I think you would have to be very careful of taking Arsene’s recommendation that someone has ‘leadership qualities’ because that is what his team has lacked terribly…..but again my whole point is why people would see him as being so much further ahead than paddy?
Anyway, not going to keep dragging this on. Maybe you will be right & if he ever comes back, hopefully he will do well.
I’m with Kwame – first choice would be Simeone. But Arteta is an intriguing possibility. He must be picking up a lot of knowledge in his current role. He’s thoughtful and intelligent. Astute. And I think he ‘gets’ the club. I always liked him. But is that enough? Probably not – we need someone who can apply boot to backside to get this motley shower playing with any positivity and passion. Or, as blogs said in the live blog yesterday, for Mustafi boot to balls! And give him an extra shank in the nads from me for being so shite… Read more »
Hello Rich!!
You are right, if we should go by recent arsenal, they lack leadership qualities despite having so many experienced players and some captains of their national teams and ex captains of their former clubs like Xhaka, Mustafi, Cech, etc but what of Pep Guardiola who knows his stuff and is doing what Wenger was doing years ago by turning average players to world best and also instilling the leadership attributes into them? IS he also wrong? What of Pochettino? They all work with him at different times. Don’t forget!!!
I would take a Vieira/Arteta/Pires combo. Vieira is doable I think, Arteta will want to continue to learn for Pep, so he may join in due course.
Let’s take the guy from osterlund, modern approach and many of the characteristics we want (hard work, pressing and a passing style).
Yeah Potter is inspirational. Checkout Coaches Voice video of him on youtube.
It would be a huge gamble but unlike most of the others mentioned here it might be a gamble worth taking.
I’m glad Wenger out fans aren’t as sentimental as Liverpool fans. This club deserves a world class manager not a pundit.
Taking over from Wenger is going to be a seriously difficult job, there’s a lot of work that needs attending to on both the playing and coaching side.
We are going to need, IMO, an experienced manager with a pedigree for winning trophies and an eye for sorting out the defence.
Allegri would be my choice, but there’s some great coaches around who would love the Arsenal job, it’s one of the biggest and best jobs in world football.
Whether the people in charge have what it takes to find the right man is another matter?
After dirtying himself with those self proclaimed experts of football, i guess he is more of Gary Neville now. Mr know-all but cant fix it. Arsenal needs known faces like Allegri, Simeone or Ancelloti not a newbie.
With our club in this big of a mess, an experienced man is needed. Ancelotti for me fits the bill
He would certainly sort out the back-line. I hope someone has approached him and lined him up for the role in the summer.
Worrying that he’s actually being considered.
Julian Nagelsman, the Leipzig coach, El Cholo Simeone, Carlo the mercenary Ancelloti, Joachim Low, Mercelino from Valence, Leo Jardim, Pelligrini, we add Viera, Bergkamp, Arteta there are plenty of top coaches that can become available next summer . It will be foolish to go for a pundit ! And what exactly does TH do for Belgium?
I still have a job to do with Belgium
Interested? Yes
but I’m still with Belgium
It will be a dream for me
But I can’t talk about that out of respect
But who wouldn’t be interested?
LOL…ok thierry, thanks for your restraint.
Arsenal’s problem is way too much for Henry. We need a mature coach not an experiment. I think we can get a better coach after the world cup who can take us somewhere.
Or maybe we need an experiment?
I’m not saying Henry is the answer, far from it. But unless someone comes in with a tangible vision and is given the time to execute it, with the level of control they need, they will not succeed, and we will begin the manager merry go round.
Is someone like Ancelloti that person? I actually don’t think he is.
When Arsene leaves, we need someone with a long term vision, and a plan behind them.
I realise this is a little peripheral to the news article, but, much as I am ready to see a dignified and respectful departure of this great manager, I really hope it doesn’t come about at the hands of Josh Kroenke. After all Arsene has done for the club, it would, in my very humble opinion, be highly inappropriate for his leaving to be caused by someone who knows nothing about the game, even less about the club and apparently has no affection for either.
I’ll send the old dear down she was Clock End back in the 70’s.
Won’t take long trust me.
Maybe you should have thought about that before turning down the Arsenal u18 job in preference to brand building at Sky, Thierry.
That being said, I wouldn’t mind him joining the coaching set up when a new manager comes in. Providing it’s full time, of course.
First name that springs to mind is Ancelotti. Not that he would be available, but Arsenal needs someone with Pondus and authority initially.
Clearly Pondus is important
piss off mate , u may have scored shit loads of goals for the team but your attitude stinks, just because wenger didnt take you on with your sky commitments so you could get two pay cheques you decided to run off elsewhere and slag off arsenal and touch up jamie carraghers leg every 5 minutes. what right does henry have to walk into such a job, he is an unproven manager whos experience on the touch line amounts to 10 international games as a no 2. True legends like Dennis Bergkamp have not been critical of the man who… Read more »
He is only doing his job as a pundit. That’s all. No malice at all
i think the worry is how do we get Wenger out right now!!! no doubt there is a handful of coaches available to take over the throne.
I’d like to see Someone. He seems to emphasize the defensive aspect of the game, and at this point we wcould sure use an emphasis on our defense. Plus, with our offensive talent, I think we could still be a threat on offense, especially counter attacking off the defense.
I think we’d all like to see Someone.?
We need a solid proven manager to take over. Conte, simeone, ancelotti, jardim. I don’t know who is realistic, our who would fit. But I’m pretty sure Henry would make the fans continue to doubt their manager
Exactly that a dream.
Go get yourself some proper experience first.
To quote Nancy Reagan: “Just say no.”
What about David Wagner? The thought of Ancelotti is bad to me. I’m not saying he’d be a bad manager, I’d take him with the knowledge that we’re looking for a long term “visionary” type manager.
I think Wagner is a promising coach. He’s done great things with Huddersfield and is still getting a lot out of them. They’ve been one of the best stories this season. He has a good philosophy on the game and is a hungry young manager.
If he wants to manage, he needs to get some club experience.
Helping Belgium is nice and all, but he ultimately needs to get some time as a full time manager.
I got excited reading the line about the inevitable departure of wenger.
Funny how those idiots in management would not bring in a new manager because they thought the minimum they would get from wenger was a top 4 finish and now we have become another mid table team.
Congrats on giving wenger a 2 year term you plonks.
What about Steve Bould? Or is that just naive?
Isn’t he our defensive coach? Not exactly a rip roaring success there…
True but I’ve heard that Wenger doesn’t allow him to do sessions with the defense.
Then by definition he hasn’t got the strength of will required.
I don’t think we can possibly say how he would do. Certainly would be a gamble.
Would love to see him take it and do well but don’t think I would risk it personally.
As we stood waiting to go into Wembley Park Station someone tried to get a Wenger Out chant going. There was no enthusiasm; not because we don’t all think he should go but just that we were so depressed. The singing of “we’re shit and we know we are..” was much more enthusiastic.
Marco Silva
I don’t think he is ready, tbh. Bring in a good manager (Conte, Tuchel, Simeone, Favre, Allegri, Ancelotti) and let Thierry be his assistant manager or something. Let him learn first, in a role similar of that of Arteta at City with Guardiola. I’m all in for a Dennis + Henry coaching partnership in the future
It is just bizzare how:- a) some think great players will make good Managers ; and b) how great promising Managers a year or two ago are now not mentioned & how certain names suddenly become fashionable. Whilist there may be a degree of concensus now fe: Wenger leaving, remember how good he was early days but all those who said Arsene who? The young Manager I continue to admire is Eddie Howe. No resources but continues to play good football. Even when in bottom three just does not panic. I genuinely wonder what Wilshere made of him? Was Roberto… Read more »
I’ve fully swung over to Simeone. We need someone with a big pair of brass balls and a tactical mind to back it up. The myth of Wengerball that rears it’s head two or three times a season has taken all pragmatism out of the picture. A foundation needs to built, on (genuine) mental strength, gaining the respect if not fear from the opposition and the will to win. Once that is in place, as it was when Wenger took charge and was deeply embedded in the club, he sprinkled magic on top at a time where his knowledge was… Read more »