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The world champion in 1998 occupies a shadow role in the Belgian selection in Russia. A first experience in a technical staff beneficial to the Red Devils?
"I am with the legend, in the flesh, and he is teaching me how to run in spaces as he did. " Romelu Lukaku finds it hard to hide his enthusiasm when he describes his collaboration with Thierry Heny. The Red Devils forward, who has scored four goals during the World Cup, enjoys, like all his teammates for almost two years, the advice and experience of the top scorer in the history of the French team.
The man with 51 achievements in the blue jersey, world champion (1998) and Europe (2000), become a living legend at Arsenal, lives his fifth World. His first as a technician on the bench since he is the second assistant of Roberto Martinez, the coach of Belgium who faces Brazil in the quarterfinal, Friday, July 6. But to do what ? Elements of the answer
On December 16, 2014, after a final meeting with the New York Red Bulls, Thierry Henry hangs up the crampons and asks himself the question feared by all the great players at the time of their retirement: "What to do after this little death ?". He does not have much time to procrastinate as he formalizes, in stride, his new position of consultant for the British channel Sky Sports. "I can not wait to move on to the next chapter," said the 37-year-old man. A salary of 5 million euros per year for six seasons awaits him to analyze the matches of Premier League and major international competitions. "This is a logical step [d’être consultant]which gives me the opportunity to stay close to the game and the field" explains the former Gunner. But the call of the green rectangle does not take long to reappear. In addition to his consulting activity, Thierry Henry passes his coaching diplomas with young people from Arsenal. This desire was rather secret to believe his teammate in London, Robert Pirès.
He did not talk about that when playing at Arsenal or the Blues, but I imagined coach. He loves football so much, to see, talk or analyze it. at franceinfo
Yet, on March 10, 2016, he gets the precious sesame.
Massive thanks to Osian Roberts @FAWCoachEd & Arsenal Academy for helping me pass my UEFA A Coaching License #proud pic.twitter.com/k71BCF4dwj
– Thierry Henry (@ThierryHenry) March 10, 2016
At the time, he was the ninth world champion of France 98 to embrace this second life close to the field. But unlike Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Didier Deschamps (France) or Laurent Blanc (PSG), no big club comes knocking on his door. A period not necessarily obvious when we knew the glory. "When you're a good player, you say 'I'll go there instead of there', you choose, but when you aspire to become a coach, your phone must be ringing, it to Canal + My phone rang. "
At the other end of the line, Roberto Martinez, the coach of Belgium, offers him the position of second assistant. " I had an offer from Roberto Martinez, hard to refuse, I did not say 'I was not called here or there'", blows the native of Les Ulis ( Essonne). The officialization falls in the last days of August 2016. "We knew that the selection was looking for a big name, but we were very surprised that it accepts" smiles Christophe Franken, journalist for the Belgian daily The Last Hour, special envoy to Russia and joined by franceinfo. Robert Pirès is more mixed; "I would have liked to see him on the bench next to Didier Deschamps", regrets the former world champion.
In this late summer 2016, Belgium emerged from a disappointing Euro, eliminated in the quarterfinals by Wales. The Spaniard Roberto Martinez, a technician who made his name in the Premier League on the Everton bench, took the place of the Belgian Marc Wilmots. "We were not used to having a foreign coach, so we thought he was going to take a Belgian among his assistants, The journalist says. But when we knew that Thierry Henry joined, no one was moved that he was not Belgian ".
The player has an incomparable aura, a career and titles that speak for him. He comes as a shadow man. And it is not the lure of profit that has led him there since the Belgian Federation is not famous for its wealth. Rumor has it that, besides that, he pays his salary to good works. "Titi" is discreet in the media. To the chagrin of the followers of the Red Devils. "There was an informal meeting with journalists shortly after taking office, he explained that he was not responsible, he did not have to put himself forward" illuminates Christophe Franken. During this contact, Henry charms the audience and impresses with his encyclopedic knowledge of the ball. For two years, it is very rare. The Belgian media have tried to negotiate its passage in front of the press during the preparation of the World Cup, but have been refused a polite.
It did not come to put forward or for the 'money, he really came to learn the job of coach. to franceinfo
To see it, we must attend the training of the selection. And find that the player did not lose everything "He still has a sacred level" corroborates Christophe Franken. He serves as the luxury center for the attacking duo Romelu Lukaku and Michy Batshuayi, who used to be at the reception of the offerings. Unlike other members of the staff, he participates more sessions, room players. At 40, he still has ants in his legs and has not lost his soul of competitor.
But if Henry joined the Red Devils, it is not to prove that he could still apply for the position center forward in a team. No, his mission is to bring his expertise and put his talent of scorer in the service of the group. Strikers Romelu Lukaku and Michy Batshuayi are the first to be involved. Christophe Franken says: "Lukaku has always been a great talent with potential, but he lacked finesse, precision, worked in a club, but also in selection, Henry had a real influence" . Robert Pirès confirms: "When we see his second goal against Tunisia (a small flat foot above the goalkeeper), that's 'Titi' . ] With him, it was not strength, it was always the finesse ". But it is still the principal interested who speaks it best. "Since we have been working closely together, I think I have become twice as good, so he helps me in all aspects of the game: the understanding of the game, the technique, the strikes … I owe him a lot" assures the Manchester United striker in an interview with The Player's Tribune
How much has Thierry Henry helped Romelu Lukaku? # WC32 #WorldCup pic. twitter.com/ZUMPYtNpgh
– Players' Global Tribune (@TPT_Global) 4 July 2018
The other striker, the former Marseillais Michy Batshuayi, is also in the front row and talks about " little more ", without going into details. But the presence of Thierry Henry not only benefits the two scorers. The former Barcelona was one of the idols of these Red Devils. "Henry's posters adorned the walls of the rooms of some players" says Christophe Franken. Like Zinédine Zidane's passage to Real Madrid, this aura seems to be beneficial to the whole group. " He kept a super-youthful mentality, and it helped him gain the confidence of the players.That is also why Martinez chose someone like him, he serves as a link between players and technical staff, he is intergenerational.His presence, his charisma, his ideas: when he speaks, everyone listens " highlights the defender Thomas Meunier at Sport / Foot Magazine .
Thierry Henry also brings his experience. In recent years, Belgium is systematically placed in the car of the big underdogs before each international competition. To disappoint each time. In 2014, it is eliminated in quarter by Argentina. In 2016, rebelote against the Welsh. He was missing "this little thing". A psychological barrier that the French is supposed to blow up. " He has the know-how and experience of winning a World Cup, and that is priceless for us who will have to break down mental barriers to achieve it" attests Roberto Martinez. "Maybe at some point in the tournament, he will say something that will really help us at a key moment" abounds Belgian defender Toby Alderweireld.
This quarter-final Brazil is very much like the "key moment" the Tottenham player is talking about. A Brazilian selection that Thierry Henry knows well since the final in 1998 – he had not played – and this quarterfinal in 2006 where he scored the decisive goal. This match against La Seleçao is the very short term future. In the medium term, it is already more vague. Before the World Cup, all the technical staff of Belgium extended by two years … except Thierry Henry. "The impression that reigns around the selection is that after the World Cup, he will have finished his apprenticeship" Christophe Franken advance. He will have stored experience and if Belgium had to go to the end, his credit will be increased tenfold. Then, the time has come to steal its own wings and knock on the doors of European clubs "It would be the logical result, advance Robert Pirès. Presidents , especially in the Premier League, might be interested, but before the big club, it is necessary to prove, to work.This is not necessarily easy, even when one is called Thierry Henry ".
And the consultant of quote the trajectories of Zinedine Zidane, passed by the B team of Real Madrid and the post of Carlo Ancelotti's deputy before triumphing, or that of Patrick Vieira gone to make his scales in MLS (the North American Football League) before to land at OGC Nice this summer. Christophe Franken, he is more categorical: "It gives the impression of being made for the elite."
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