Thierry Henry - Bucking the trend at Arsenal

TH12: He came, he saw, he conquered. And he came back for more.

It dates back to 17^th August 1977, when a boy was born in a Paris suburb. In his initial days, he was not much interested in the game of football. It was his father who prodded him to take up the game seriously and since then there has been no looking back for the talismanic French striker.

It was at the age of thirteen that a Monaco scout noticed him at a match for his then club, US Palaiseau. He was signed without even a trial at the club. At that time the coach of AS Monaco was Arsene Wenger and Henry joined as a youth player. In 1994, he made his professional debut for Monaco under the watchful eyes of Monsieur Wenger. However, he was mostly deployed as a winger than an all-out striker. It was Wenger who thought that with the bursting pace and deft ball control, Henry would be more successful against the fullbacks. In spite of playing on the left wing, he scored goals and created a French record in 1997-98 season by scoring seven goals in the UEFA Champions League competition. He won the French Young Footballer of the Year in 1996 and he played a pivotal role in helping Monaco become the Ligue 1 Champions next season. Then came the big debut for the France national team in 1998, and the rest is history.

In 1999, Henry left Monaco for Serie A club Juventus. There also, he was deployed as a winger but playing at the mecca of defensive football, he was rendered ineffective as the wing was not his natural position.

Thus, after a brief stint with the Italian giants he left for Arsenal, where he went on to become a legend in the years to come. Being at Arsenal meant he was back with his Monaco days coach, Arsene Wenger. However, this time he was brought on as an out-and-out striker ,and a replacement for his compatriot Nicolas Anelka. It was not easy for him to adapt to the pacy English football but he silenced his critics with an impressive tally of 26 goals at the end of his debut season. The success at Euro 2000 for France meant more confidence and exuberance for the French striker as he returned to his club. He became the club’s top goal scorer in the 2000-01 season and went on to win the League and the FA cup double in the subsequent season. From then on, it was a series of exceptional performances and he soon won the hearts of the Gunners all over the world. He emerged as the top scorer for Arsenal almost every season.

He became the all time leading scorer for Arsenal after surpassing another legendary Gunner, Ian Wright, with 228 goals in all competitions. His name became synonymous with the success of gunners during his tenure at the club. His famous statement “Once a Gooner, always a Gooner” still rings loud in the ears of each Arsenal fan across the world. He proved this by returning to his favorite club last season to save his team from the blues when their performances were dismal and their morale went downwards. King Henry waved his magic wand and scored in the first game he played. That’s the aura, the magic of this Frenchman that sends shudders down the spine of an Arsenal fan when the legend is on the pitch.

Now the times are tumultuous for Arsenal. With the likes of Van Persie and Walcott poised to leave this summer, there are serious doubts about the future of such a team which has got no able leader to guide the team. It shows that there can be no one like Thierry Henry, the same man who left for Barcelona in 2007 only to return in 2011-12 to recreate the magic once again. The respect that he garners from the fans at this age is unmatched. However prolific van Persie’s scoring rate may be, the respect will still elude him forever. He is quitting the place where his football career sparkled for better financial ventures.

The greed for money can never match the respect that fans shower on a player who is loyal and committed to his roots. Unfortunately, these days the likes of Tony Adams and Theirry Henry are fast vanishing from the Arsenal side. It’s become a place where players get the fame and then move onto greener pastures for more money. The recent transfers of Clichy, Fabregas and Nasri, and with RVP and Walcott (reportedly) soon to follow, depict a sad story of the eroding esteem of the game.

Thus, the inevitable cannot be prevented. Van Persie, you are a free man and you have your own desires. But the heartbreaking part is, you do not have the slightest respect for the place which made you what you are today, and in this materialistic world, money matters are ruling the game of football.