Arsenal legend edges closer to replacing Wenger as manager

I must admit that I would be surprised to see the Arsenal board appoint our former striker Thierry Henry as the new manager before he cut his teeth anywhere else, but stranger things have happened. And the flying Frenchman took one step closer to replacing his former mentor Arsene Wenger this week as he completed the next stage of his UEFA coaching courses.

As reported by The Mirror, Henry has just added the UEFA A licence to the B licence he completed last year and all that is left to complete the package and allow him to take charge of clubs in the Premier League and around Europe is the Pro Licence.

It certainly looks like our all time top goalscorer has no intention of resting on his laurels and spending the next 20 years in a TV studio commenting on what other managers are doing right or wrong. Just last week a well respected French journalist declared that he was aware that Henry was being lined up as Wenger’s replacement although if that was to be the case then Arsenal fans would have to wait until at least next year for Henry to get all his badges.

The 38-year old has already been doing some hands on work behind the scenes with Wenger at Arsenal and his recent comments about the angry atmosphere at the Emirates that riled the prof, along with other things he has said since becoming a pundit, proves that he is no yes man and is not afraid to speak his mind ruffle some feathers.

But can he become anything like as a good at managing as he was at playing the game? We certainly hope so.

Tags Henry Thierry

11 Comments

  1. Would love for Henry to replace Wenger but the timing has to be right. As an ex-player, legend, fan, and critic. I have a feeling he would be longstanding figure like Wenger but more modern and ambitious. I remember him talking about Guardiola’s tactics recently and he sounded determined. I know he might have upset a few here and there during his punditry, but I can see he genuinely loves the club that really put his name on the map. One step at a time though!

  2. We all know he still need a pro license. I’ll be surprise if he can do it in 5 years from now. It’ll be better if he makes reputation as manager at Arsenal U-21 or somewhere else. Don’t forget we have ex Arsenal players who already in charge as manager like Tony Adam or Gilles Grimandi. To reach the top you have to climb the ladder first.

  3. Va vaaa vooom has no loyalty for Arsenal fc,
    He was presented with a Barcelona shirt from a fan who ran on to the pitch, during our champions league final and what does he do?…. Nothing…. oh wait ..he went on to have a piss poor game and missed a sitter from 2 yards out!
    And went on to join Barcelona in the following season.

    Lets just say that Henry takes over from Wenger and in his first season he wins the premier league and Fa cup and the following season Barcelona come knocking for him… again!…. Yep.. Exactly, he would be off with a vaaa vaaa vooom! ?

    On a serious note! … There’s more chance of Patrick Vieira becoming the next Arsenal manager than there is Henry.
    Vieira is already in the USA getting his experience, whilst Henry still needs a couple more badges before he starts getting some experience and top it off, Wenger mentioned Vieira as a possible/ potential Arsenal manager a few years ago!

  4. let him get his pro license first then see where we go from there he will most likely be the long term replacement for wenger, but the club might want to get in a stopgap manager like low or koeman(so he can learn some tactical variety) for a few years, until he is ready to step up to the plate full time, most likely will take over the under 21s like bouldy did and work from there to the top job, its not a bad way of getting a new a manager in promote from within, someone that knows the club top to bottom. and maybe get arteta,lungberg,pires,bergkamp, coming up underneath to be a coaching team for the first team, but for me a henry and bergkamp management double act is just the ticket in a few years.

  5. TH14 is a potential Arsenal manager in years to come. The board will however give him time to grow before such appointment. I don’t foresee a rookie taking up the mantle after AW.

  6. There is every chance he will step to the plate one day. However, it doesn’t matter what we think, because the man, has not shown or tried anything to suggest he will become a top boss. The only way we can get a better idea, is when he is gaining some experience, however small. I find it incredible, hearing people say sack Wenger, and then hire Henry all in the one go. These people are far away from the decision making, thank god. We can talk about his character though, and does this character usually sit well with the top bosses of football. He may not be a yes man, but he does have a way of explaining things to people as if they were idiots. Also what I noticed, right after hearing something from the in game commentator – Henry would repeat, but repeat in a way as if it being told for the very first time ever. I suspect Henry would rub some people up the wrong way, he has a sort of superior demeanor about him. That’s great for a striker, but you’d need to be a Mourinho for it to use well in management. This is just my two cents of course, no offence intended.

    1. Could not agree more Trevor. Henry is legend and was a amazing player, but does he have the experience and what it takes to lead Arsenal? He is one of my favorite players of all time but I think even Bergkamp is head of him in terms of experience so far and is for me more of the manager type.

      Arsenal is a big club and we deserve one the best managers out there which is important for the Arsenal brand and with a football philosophy more compatible with ours today and can build on that to take us to the next level.

      We should not be blinded because our respect for henry and the status he has in our club.
      If he is serious in managing Arsenal than he should work his way up and gain experience elsewhere.

      I have been thinking which manager would suit us the most after Wenger era and can only think of Joachim Low.
      He has a combination of possession based football, effective attacking and he is good at tactics.
      He is has good experience with upcoming younger players and he is good at long term projects which he shown with the german national team.

      Maybe its only me but think Steve Bould should be the assistant for a new manager, specially if
      its someone who has no experience in England.

      What do you guys think?

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