Arsenal legend turned manager Thierry Henry is continuing his pursuit of success in the coaching realm and has been entrusted with the role of managing the France U21 national team.
During his illustrious playing career, Henry had the privilege of working under some of the world’s finest coaches. Now, as he embarks on his managerial journey, he has opened up about the mentors who have had the most significant influence on him.
Despite encountering challenges in previous managerial stints at AS Monaco and CF Montreal, Henry remains determined to make the most of his opportunity with the France U21 team. With a pool of promising talents at his disposal, he aspires to make a positive impact on their development and achieve success in his coaching career.
Speaking about his managerial journey and how a manager inspires his team to achieve success, Henry said, as quoted by the Daily Mail:
‘Being a manager is about asking the question: can you make your players more intelligent, understand football a bit better?
‘Let’s use Pep Guardiola as an example. I thought I was good at football but when I arrived there at Barcelona I just thought, ‘Wow, what is he talking about?’
‘Arsene Wenger, when I arrived to Arsenal, opened up my spirit and my mind as a continuation of what I learned at the academy at Clairefontaine. Pep Guardiola opened my eyes.’
Just Arsenal Opinion
Henry had a brilliant career as a footballer and it is still baffling that he has found it hard to get a breakthrough as a manager.
But success should easily find him now as the gaffer of the France U21 side because they have some of the finest talents in the world in that group.
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WHY is it thought baffling by MARTIN?
I would have thought an astute mind would easily know that the two entirely different concepts o playing at a top level and then managing at top level, through football history ,is rather rare(very rare actually) in the SAME individual.
Football is litttered with top level players who have failed miserably at managing and/or at coaching. Simply the norm in fact and at least to my mind therefore, NOTHING “BAFFLING” at all.
Someof us learn very well from observing other humans and noticing what they accomplish or do NOT accomplish. Others do not!
All told, far too simplistic an article with avery wrong conclusion. Or at best, a naively hopeful conclusion, that so far has little previous evidence in its favour.
No doubt some will now list Pep, Cruyff and a FEW others, but exceptions DO NOT BEGIN to change the usual rule.