Thierry Henry has urged Arsenal not to turn into Liverpool by waiting 25 years to win their next league title.
He can’t say ‘next Premier League title’ because, well, they’ve never won it (yes, yes, five times, shut up).
Speaking to L’Equipe, the Arsenal legend said
“If I had said to you, in 1990, that Liverpool FC would not win the title for the next 25 years, you would have thought me very ill.
“I don’t want the same thing to happen to Arsenal. It is now 11 years. This year, we are not so far away [from the title].
“Apart from the first leg against Monaco, they are going in the right direction but they without doubt dropped too many points at the start of the season.
“But I think this squad can win the title in the years to come.”
He was then asked if Arsenal could win the title under Arsene Wenger and the Frenchman replied about the man he adores so much
“That depends on him and his desire to stay. He has changed the image and size of the club.
“It is thanks to him that Arsenal is known for playing football. He deserves to be in the job. It is up to him when he leaves.”
Henry is working towards his coaching badges and, as part of his course, has been undertaking training with Arsenal youngsters at Hale End Academy.
It is widely expected that he will return to Arsenal in a coaching capacity but, of course, that all depends on if he turns out to be as good on the sidelines as he was on the pitch.
About that, Henry added
“My life is in London.
“My daughter lives there. I have my house there, I work there. I will always live in London.
“I am not so presumptuous to be able one day to coach a team nor succeed Arsene Wenger.
“I just want to learn with the youth players at Arsenal. I just want to be ready if, one day, an opportunity presents itself.
“Now, it is not yet obvious to prepare a session or change it at the last minute. When you are a player, you don’t worry about these things. Today, I am discovering this aspect.
The other coaches tell me the youngsters give a little bit more when I am there. But I prefer not to think about it and simply do my work to help them.
“It is not always obvious: it is not because you know football that you are able to communicate, to educate, to make people understand things that you understand. That is why this coaching job needs an apprenticeship.”
To be fair, even if he was half as good, he’d still make a pretty amazing manager.
L’Equipe