Arsene Wenger is considering offering Thierry Henry a coaching role as the player prepares to tackle the next stage of his illustrious career.
Henry’s contract with New York Red Bulls expires next month at the end of the ML S season and although he is yet to announce his retirement, many believe he is done as a player.
It’s not impossible,’ said Wenger, when asked if the 37-year-old former Arsenal captain could return to coach. ‘I welcome people who have played for us to come back but not (for just) an honorary job.
‘It has to be a job that is available and one where you get up in the morning and do something.’
Henry has said he would like to manage Arsenal, where he played for eight years, won two League titles and became club leading scorer before joining Barcelona in 2007.
Wenger said: ‘Has he the quality to be a manager? Yes… but he has to decide to sacrifice his life. When you’re a player, you think it’s so simple to be a manager. When you are a manager, you think it’s so complicated suddenly and if you’re not prepared for that you cannot survive.
‘One quality that you need is resistance to criticism when you feel it’s not justified. I don’t know how he’ll handle that.
‘He has to learn the job first. I have seen so many who have the qualities and they have not survived their first job because they are not ready.’
Ryan Giggs is learning to coach as Louis van Gaal’s assistant with Saturday’s visitors Manchester United, but Wenger believes those with serious ambitions need total control, like Henry’s former France team-mate Zinedine Zidane, who runs Real Madrid’s B team.
‘It is better to have the responsibility,’ said Wenger. ‘You learn to handle a dressing-room. If Henry does retire he will play his final home game tomorrow against New England Revolution in the first leg of the Eastern Conference final.
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