Former Arsenal player now coaching club’s u15 side

Former Arsenal youth player Conor Henderson is now working with the u15 team as a coach, having completed his UEFA A License.

The Arsenal u15s are currently overseas for the Messi Cup, and pictured alongside all the fresh faces in the travelling squad was a familiar old one, with former Arsenal youth player Conor Henderson helping to coach the side.

35-year-old Henderson played for the Arsenal academy all the way up to the first team, making his senior debut in a 2011 FA Cup win over Leyton Orient.

Henderson then spent most of his playing career in the English lower leagues, as well as playing in Romania and Bulgaria. But after his retirement, he returned to Arsenal to coach the club’s u12 side.

Since then, Henderson has progressed to coaching the u14s, and now the u15s. Whilst doing so, he’s been working towards getting his UEFA A License with the help of the FA, a milestone he ultimately achieved earlier this year.

Arsenal have regularly welcomed back former academy players to work with their current youth teams, and Henderson is just another example of that.

The strategy makes sense, as no one will know the development process better than former players who have already been through it.

Ultimately, these youth coaching roles often lead to senior opportunities.

The likes of Jack Wilshere and Colin Kazim-Richards have made the jump from the Arsenal youth teams to senior management in recent years, and there are many more examples out there. Perhaps Henderson is next.

• Former Arsenal player now coaching club’s u15 side
  Former Arsenal youth player Conor Henderson is now working with the u15 team as a coach, having completed his UEFA A License.
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