Thierry Henry opens up on desire to manage Arsenal
By Tom Gott
Arsenal icon Thierry Henry has confessed it is his dream to return to the Emirates Stadium and manage the Gunners one day.
Henry's managerial career is yet to really get going. After learning as Roberto Martinez's assistant with Belgium, he has endured tricky spells with both Monaco and Montreal Impact, leaving the MLS side in February to be closer to his family in England.
He was recently linked with the Bournemouth job but remains out of work, but Henry is still looking for his next gig and he admitted to FourFourTwo that he wants to keep learning to make him ready for the Arsenal job one day.
“Listen, if you ask an Arsenal fan if they’d like to coach Arsenal one day, they’ll say yes,” he said. “If you ask an Arsenal fan if they’d like to score a goal for Arsenal, they’ll say yes.
"When I speak about it, it’s a utopia. People get carried away whenever I say that it’s my club, but I have it in my blood – I’m an Arsenal fan.
“So if you’re asking me if one day I’d like to coach Arsenal, then yes. If you ask if one day I’d like to be Arsenal’s kit man, then yes. If you ask if one day I’d like to cut the grass at the Emirates Stadium, then yes.”
The Frenchman, who bagged 228 goals in 376 games for Arsenal, was happy to admit that he is 'far from' the level needed to succeed in such a job, but he is aiming high and even has the Barcelona job in his sights as well.
“If you ask me am I dreaming, yes I’m dreaming. But when you’re not dreaming, you’re awake and there is a reality,” Henry said. “Would I love to coach Arsenal? Yes. Would I love to go to Barcelona? Yes. Would I like to play for Arsenal again? I’d love to play for them again, but the reality is I can’t!
“I’m on my learning curve, I want to do well for the team I’m coaching, then time will tell. If you’re not successful, you’re not going to have those types of opportunities.
"I’m just concentrating on what I can control, and the rest is a massive utopia. Would I have liked to sing like Lionel Richie? Yes, but I don’t sing like Lionel Richie!”