Friday 27 November 2015 12:21, UK
What is it like to be Thierry Henry's strike partner, and to then score more goals than the French superstar in a season?
Bradley Wright-Phillips is one of few to be in that position after scoring 27 goals, 17 more than the Frenchman, during the 2014 MLS season which was to be Henry's last as a professional.
After joining New York Red Bulls in the summer of 2013, Wright-Phillips has gone on to be one of the league's most prolific strikers - scoring 44 regular season goals in 66 appearances across two seasons.
In a wide-ranging interview with Sky Sports, Wright-Phillips reveals all about playing alongside one his idols, life in America, playing alongside his brother Shaun and his England ambitions.
The 30-year-old also delves into the Red Bulls' upcoming play-off decider against Columbus Crew on Sunday night - live on Sky Sports 1.
Are you enjoying the New York way of life?
I like it here. I live in New Jersey, I go to New York every now and then, and it's a nice thing. It's quiet where I am, it's good for families and obviously coming to the Red Bulls I'm having a good time. It's a very good experience for me.
How is your brother Shaun doing?
Shaun's doing well, he loves it here. He picked up a slight injury but he's fitting in well with the boys and he loves it. He always says he feels like he is at home. Of course it was one of my worries, him coming in and it's almost like a first day at school for him. I had to go through it and I know what it's like. He's obviously done it around various clubs but he's coming in to a place where I've been and he's familiar with it. For him, I just wanted him to get on with everyone. From the first day he was cool with everyone so it was nice to see.
What is it like to be re-united with your brother for the first time since you were together at Man City?
It's something I thought would never happen again. I always used to look back at our time at Manchester City together and think I never appreciated it enough. It was something that used to annoy me because I couldn't remember everyday things that go in to training to be together and just being in training together. The opportunity to do it twice, we're very lucky. Now we just try and cherish every day and talk about a game of football whenever we get a chance.
He's in the process of sorting a house. For now we live together which is even better. It's nice to feel 10 again.
How did the New York Red Bulls move happen and why did you decide playing in MLS was a good career choice?
The people that sorted it out for me have been looking after me for my entire career. They got wind of it, and they had another couple of players here and said 'would you be interested in coming over'. At first I was thinking 'no way!', it's so far and it was nothing I'd ever been asked before. I'd never been put in that situation before to answer the question 'do you want to go and play in MLS'.
At first I was a bit worried but then I ran it by my Dad (Ian Wright) and he was like 'yeah, don't be stupid, are you crazy? It would be a great opportunity'. I sat back and thought about it and then when I came here for two weeks just training and checking things out, the facilities were amazing. The stadium is fairly new and it's quality here. The players are just nice people and some good players so I felt 'yeah, definitely I can do this'. It was the middle of the summer so the weather was nice, and I couldn't say no once I'd been here.
You scored 27 goals in 2014, equalling the MLS single-season goal record. What did you put that great season down to personally?
In my 2013 season when I joined I came half way through. I had a little hamstring injury, I never got going. I remember Thierry [Henry] was playing and he was playing deep, playing in the hole, and he'd just be feeding people. I remember thinking 'if I get a chance to play with this dude, I'm just going to work on my movement' and wherever you ran, Thierry could find a pass. He was a big part of my 2014 season. Obviously everyone had good seasons but he was a big part of it. I just remember if I got a chance I would stay on the shoulder and try and make clever runs.
If you've got half a brain playing with someone like Thierry, if your movement's ok, he's going to find you. Then it was up to me really, trying to finish it, and get in good positions. It came down to a lot of hard work and just learning the players' games in training and it came off in the end. It's one of those seasons that strikers have, you'll have one and everything will come off for you, it was one of those.
Did you learn a lot from playing with Thierry Henry?
He's obviously one of the things you think about [when moving] as well. When you hear Red Bulls may be interested, straight away a man like Thierry is going to sway your decision. If you get to go to training with him, and just be on the same side with him, in any other situation it wouldn't have been possible. When you get a chance to play with one of your favourite players growing up, it was definitely a big part of your decision.
I was surprised how much he cares about the little things. It could be anything, just controlling the ball or contact, or the decision you make when you get into a certain area of the field, there's so many things. It was like a science to him. Even when he was moaning at you, you can always see the wisdom in it and I took more from training than the games. I can't put everything into practice he does because he is a genius but there are so many things I've learnt. I look at the game differently because of that man.
What do you think of Henry as a pundit?
One of the things I dreamed about with the boys, I'd like to see him as a pundit, but just from me knowing him now and having conversations with him I know exactly what he's like, he probably holds no punches. He probably tells the truth all the time and some people may think it's a little harsh but what he does do is he will always speak his mind so I haven't seen much but I do know that. If you like to hear the reality, Thierry will give you that.
Critics said you only did so well in 2014 because of Henry - have you proved them wrong after scoring 17 goals this season?
It's one of things that would annoy me. For one, I'm not sure what else his job to do is. He's a creative player, and he's obviously going to pass the ball to the striker. People looked at that so negatively. I don't mind when people say he was a big part for us. Of course, there are midfielders all over the country that strikers should be thanking every single season, that's their job.
Thierry was great that season getting assists but it wasn't like anyone was asking the question. It was like it made them feel better by saying that. 'Thierry's gone now, you won't score'. It's ridiculous. The only people that said that to me were the ones who wanted that to be true. There are strikers all over the world who wouldn't get the goals if they didn't have a creative midfielder or someone that enjoys making assists. I don't know what you'd want more than that.
I was glad to get a good enough ratio. I was aiming for one in two, and it was actually 17. I just stumbled over the line and I was glad to get my goals because a lot of naysayers like to look at the negatives rather than the positive.
How do you think your head coach Jesse Marsch has done after taking over before the start of the season?
He's a brave man. He came in and he stamped a lot of his personality on our team and it's hard to come in to a place where you lose Thierry Henry, Tim Cahill and the manager who everyone in the club liked, the fans loved him. He came in and he was still head-strong enough to say this is what we're going to do, and if you believe in it we can have a good season. This was at a time when everyone was writing us off, even our fans were.
There were people not renewing their season tickets. It was a tough time but he came out and he believed in us, he believed in his methods and we're here now. We could be in the final of the MLS Cup before you know it so credit to him. He's a man who will talk to his players, he's an easy man to talk to. He likes the players to have their opinion. It's just a nice place to be right now. In our club it's a great place to be.
What went wrong in the MLS conference final first leg against Columbus Crew (lost 2-0) and how will you look to turn it around at home?
What went wrong was we didn't turn up. We had to have one of our best games this season and we had one of our worst. On top of that we conceded a goal in nine seconds, it's unacceptable. It was a bad start. Even then, we're still in the game. All we needed was an away goal and we didn't manage to score. That doesn't happen much with us. We just weren't good enough but at home it's going to be a different game. At home we're very difficult to play against and they're going to have to come and prepare for a real game. It's far from over and we just have to make it very difficult.
We're better when we play how we do, the other day we just had a bad game. I don't think we have to worry too much. The pressure is really on Columbus to keep that lead and we've just got to go out there and do what we do.
You've scored 44 goals in 66 MLS appearances over the last two seasons, do you still have ambitions of an England call-up?
Not at all. This isn't me saying I'm not good enough or whatever. I just feel England have some great strikers and they're in the eye all the time where the England national team manager goes to their games. They've got Wayne Rooney - he's my age. Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy who's killing it. It's very tough to get in the England team whether I'm there or here. It's something I thought about for years, it just doesn't bother me now. I just concentrate on club football. If you look at the England strikers over there and who's doing well it's a no brainer to be picking these guys.
Finally, would you like to end your career with New York Red Bulls?
I would love to, I like it here, and I've never been this settled. Obviously it comes down to the club and how well I perform on the pitch, but if I did stay here for the rest of my career I would be a happy man.
Watch New York Red Bulls v Columbus Crew live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 12.45am on Sunday night/Monday morning
