Thierry Henry: Return to Arsenal never an option after retirement
Former striker excited by new role with Sky Sports
Tuesday 16 December 2014 13:24, UK
Thierry Henry says he is excited by his new role as a pundit – and returning to Arsenal as a player was never really an option.
The former Arsenal, Barcelona and France star has announced his retirement from football and will join Sky Sports as a football expert and ambassador for the start of 2015.
While he admitted it was not an easy decision to call time on his playing days, he is now keen to offer his insight on the game.
We all loved the first Rocky, but I don’t know about the last one. I had one comeback at Arsenal and I guess it was enough.
“It’s hard to leave the game you love behind,” he said. “But I’m at peace with what I’ve done in the game; I’ve got no regrets.
“I still think I can give a lot to the game. I’m retiring and I’m not yet involved in any team so, in the meantime, why not give back to the game on TV and make people understand some stuff they don’t understand?
“The job of an analyst is to put your message across and make people understand how the game is. It will be our job to try to make sure we can bring the game closer to people at home.”
Henry - who left Arsenal for Barcelona in 2007 – ended his playing career at New York Red Bulls, despite rumours he would make a second return to the Emirates.
But the 37-year-old says that wasn’t an option, despite his love for Arsenal.
“You never leave Arsenal Football Club. Everyone wants to know about the playing side but we didn’t talk too much about that,” he said.
“If you moved back it would have turned out to be a bad move at one point. We all loved the first Rocky, but I don’t know about the last one. You come back once but I don’t see going to Arsenal as a comeback. I feel like I never left the place. I had one comeback and I guess it was enough.”
Asked why he chose to work with Sky, Henry said the broadcaster’s connection with the Premier League – and his own career with Arsenal – was key.
“It’s simple, Sky is the best TV broadcaster for me,” he said.
“I grew up with Sky. If I want to see some of the stuff I’ve done, they’re all on Sky. When I was playing in England, in the dressing room it was always about Sky and it was always going to be about Sky for me, especially when I talk about the Premier League. I can’t talk about the Premier League and not talk about Sky. I think we are the best now.”
