November 19 – Thierry Henry is back in the game, taking the role of Montreal Impact head coach in the MLS. The Frenchman says he wants to confront and leave the disappointment of his short-lived Monaco tenure behind him.
In January, Henry’s ill-fated Monaco spell came to an end when the club dismissed him after winning just a quarter of his 20 games in charge. It had been Henry’s first role as a head coach after his job as one Roberto Martinez’s assistant coaches at the Belgian national team.
“You’re going to fall – it’s about how you get up,” said Henry at a news conference. You learn the most and find out more about yourself in tough situations. It’s about coming back always – the story of my life. The only mistake you can make is not learning from what happened.”
“You have to start somewhere. That’s how you acquire experience. For me it came with Belgium and Monaco, where I learned a lot about myself. It didn’t work out in Monaco (as a coach). I can give you a lot of excuses but at the end of the day it didn’t work out and I am here as a coach of Montreal.”
The 42-year-old Frenchman signed a two-year deal with the Canadian side. Last season Montreal failed to reach the play-offs and as a result parted ways with their coach Wilmer Cabrera whose contract was close to renewal. Henry believes that his team can improve.
“The face of a team is often a reflection of the coach, but I want the community, the players to feel what’s going on in this city,” said the Frenchman. “Finance is not a problem. In this league, winning teams do not always have money.”
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1713856472labto1713856472ofdlr1713856472owedi1713856472sni@o1713856472fni1713856472