I thought Thierry Henry had already made his mind up about whether he would stay at Arsenal, I just didn’t know which way.
First of all and most importantly.
It is a major and much needed boost for Arsenal.
Secondly.
It is a boost for the game. Henry is a unique talent, he has a long list of potential suitors, Henry could easily have earned much more money by making a high profile move to a glamour club. Like Barcelona.
Too many players are interested in money, are given poor advice by agents and move for the wrong reasons and live to regret it. Step forward Shaun Wright-Phillips.
It is important, in the context of today’s game and the way players appear to be bigger than their clubs, for football. I just hope other players, who no doubt admire Henry, follow suit.
Henry is staying because, the bottom line, he loves the club.
Arsenal and Arsene Wenger took a gamble on him when he was at a cross roads in his career, his life.
Arsene and the club made him feel at home, helped to nurture his talent, helped him fulfil his potential, had faith in him and made along with Thierry Henry made Thierry Henry a world class player.
Arsene had faith in Henry and believed in his ability when Henry did not.
Arsenal gave him stability, he settled in well and his confidence and influence in the team grew. Henry now has earned the ultimate freedom to express himself on the pitch. If Henry went to Barcelona he would not be the sole conductor.
His life is settled, he has a family, and his private life is private. In Spain football is like a soap opera. Henry would effectively have no private life, he would be owned by Barcelona and used and manipulated as a marketing tool.
Basically Henry has the best platform to be able to concentrate on playing the best football he can.
Henry is a legend at Arsenal, he is the club’s all time record goal scorer, he is worshipped by the fans, his team-mates and the media. It would be a massive gamble for a player, who if he continues his progression and maintains his unerring consistency, and possibly wins the European Cup at Arsenal, will go down in history alongside the very best that have ever played the game.
It would be a massive gamble to leave and have to start making that legend again.
Bergkamp, Adams and the other senior players helped a raw, young Henry to develop into what he is today. Henry must feel he owes that to the younger players at the club at present.
Henry will also lead Arsenal out in the new stadium, which will be the best in Europe and will place Arsenal among Europe’s elite.
Arsenal may well need a new signing or two to compete with Chelsea.
The fact remains Thierry Henry will be the best signing Arsenal could make.
5 Responses to “Why Henry Decided To Stay”
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January 11th, 2006 at 8:50 am
I think TH14 would stay cause its too late to go somewhere else now. He is 28 in peak of his career. If he goes somewhere else, he will take time adapting and of course he would be gambeling big time (what if he fails in Barca now).
There was no formal offer from Barca yet, so its smart from him not to say anything about his future. He is playing a mind game and he wants Arsenal to do well and improve. I would like to see another TH14 class and publicity type of player in Arsenal … w of them woudl save Arsenal from Media bulls.
The fact remains Thierry Henry will be the best signing Arsenal could make. ( I dunno about this ) I can say one of the best signings. I can say The fact remains Thierry Henry will be the best signing AW could make.
Bergy was one of the best signings too …
January 11th, 2006 at 9:14 am
There are many possible reasons for him staying at Arsenal, personally I feel that we have benefited from the fact that he has a newborn daughter and his wife is English.
As a character, I also feel that Henry enjoys his status in English football, and being the main man at Arsenal. He could go to Barcelona and after a couple of bad games find himself sitting on the bench behind Ronaldinho and Etoo. He probably thinks too much of himself to allow that to happen.
Of course, he I think he genuinely loves Arsenal - but I doubt that’s the biggest deciding factor in him staying.
If Arsenal have been rekindled by his signing, there was little sign of it last night - in what was one of the worst performance I have ever seen from an Arsenal team since I started supporting them, and definitely the worst ever performance from a Wenger side.
It cemented my opinion that if these kids are the future, then we have no future, and that too many first team player’s futures should be hanging in the balance.
I’m positive Wenger will try to buy his way out of this one, unless he’s stark raving mad! We may have to bite our lips hard until the summer though.
January 11th, 2006 at 10:55 am
Wenger didnt sign Bergkamp
January 11th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
Not a big surprise, but I thought today’s quote (arsenal.com) from AW would cheer you all up:
on signing new players?
“There is a chance but at the moment, I must say, a very vague chance because we are not close to concluding any deal”
Meanwhile, United is supposedly getting close to signing Gravesen for 3-4 million…
January 11th, 2006 at 1:48 pm
This is why I said Henry is the best AW best Signing, not Arsenal as a whole best signing. Talking about the best Arsenal signing, I would put Bergy in the list.
Bergy was signed by Bruce Rioch in June 1995…