Thierry Henry quits his position as head coach of the FC Montreal

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Thierry Henry has resigned from his position as head coach of CF Montreal for family reasons, the club announced Thursday.

Henry spent a season as Montreal’s head coach after taking over before the 2020 campaign. He was 8-13-2 in MLS, guiding his club to the Audi MLS Cup playoffs as well as the quarterfinals. Concacaf Champions League final.

“It is with a heavy heart that I decided to make this decision,” Henry said in a club statement. “The past year has been extremely difficult for me personally. Due to the global pandemic, I couldn’t see my children. Unfortunately, due to the current restrictions and the fact that we will have to relocate to the United States again for several months, it will be no different. The separation is too difficult for me and my children. It is therefore with great sadness that I must make the decision to return to London and leave CF Montreal. “

Henry inherited a Montreal team that missed the playoffs in 2019 and then sold their pre-season best player, Ignacio Piatti, along with another designated player in the season to Saphir Taider. Their season ended heartbreakingly, losing to a goal in stoppage time to the New England Revolution in the Play-In round.

“Thierry’s departure is unhappy and premature because it was very promising, but he told me of his desire to come back with his family because the situation was and remains very difficult for him and for his family”, declared the sports director Olivier Renard. “I want to thank him, first on a human level because he set an example for players last year by being away from his family, but also on a sporting level and for what we have built together since. His arrival. We wanted to raise this club and we are on the right track. The process of finding a new head coach is already underway and I will be looking for someone who matches the philosophy we have implemented.

After one of the most decorated careers in professional football history, including four and a half seasons in MLS with the New York Red Bulls, Henry began his coaching career in the academy of English club Arsenal. in February 2015. In August 2015. of 2016, Henry became assistant coach of the Belgian national team alongside Roberto Martinez and he helped the Red Devils advance to the semi-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup , eventually finishing third after beating England in the third-place game.

“I would like to thank the fans, the players and all the staff at this club who made me feel so welcome,” said Henry. “I would also like to thank Kevin Gilmore, Olivier Renard and of course Joey and the entire Saputo family for giving me this wonderful opportunity. We had an impossible year together and making the playoffs with this group of people is an experience I will never forget. Thank you all for being on this trip and I wish you every success for the future. “

In previous weeks, Henry had been linked with a managerial vacancy at Championship club Bournemouth, although they announced over the weekend that interim manager Jonathan Woodgate would continue until the end of the season.



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