Thierry Henry gives us his views on being back at Arsenal. The Frenchman has signed a two month loan deal at The Emirates and is delighted to be back.
On being back…
It's kind of unreal to be honest, it's all happened so
fast. The boss spoke to me before the
On nervousness...
As long as I am on the same page as the boss, that's all
I want. The boss knows that I need to work a bit so I know I am not able to
play out there right from the start. It was pretty easy for me to accept. You
have guys that are here for a long time doing a job for the club, so yes, you
are going to have people expecting a lot. But with the boss having said I need
to do more of a helping role most of the time, coming from the bench, if I do
make it. We are kind of talking like it's a sure thing if I do make the bench.
But there is a team already in position to play. I'm not stupid enough to think
I am going to play - we all know that Robin van Persie is the main guy up
front. Obviously Gervinho is going to go but then you have the likes of Theo
Walcott and those guys around still. As I said to you, I'm just going to be a
part of the squad.
How he has changed…
It's kind of weird. I'll be honest, it's kind of unreal.
I always said I was never going to come back and play in
On what he offers off the pitch…
Well right from the start, as I said, it looks more like
I'm going to be a bench player. Or maybe not on the bench but more of an out of
the side type of player. As I said to you, I need to get ready. But I can
definitely have some input out there, to talk to the guys and let them know
what it means to win. I am a competitor and that will never leave my body. Now
there is a big part of me working with the fitness coach and being ready to
help this team. I never had any expectations, even when I first came to
Arsenal, and will try to play 100 per cent whenever I get the chance to. I'm
just going to help those guys get through some difficult moments.
On relationship with Robin van Persie…
Right now Robin is flying, I can be around and talk to
him but he is doing what he does best: scoring goals. You don't want to disturb
that, you want to help that and make sure you can give him some help. He went
to the final of the World Cup and like the fans say, he scores when he wants.
When the boss spoke to me about coming back, I wanted to make sure I didn't
disturb the team that was in place. That was important to me, I am a fan don't
forget that. The team did something incredible to come back to where they are
right now, we are far from the first position but if you talk about what the
team has done since Man Utd, they have done pretty well.
On coming back…
It's kind of weird. Arsenal are the only club that could
make me come back and play, and actually did. I also want to send a message to
the Red Bulls and my fans and team-mates there - I said I was never going to
come back and play in
On how much he has changed…
I am not 25 anymore, I am not going to take the ball from
the middle of the park and dribble past five or six players. Don't expect that.
I remember Dennis [Bergkamp] and he used to be the main front guy. Suddenly he
was playing behind the striker and if you have the awareness to see things
before players, you can get away with not having your legs. If you look at Ryan
Giggs, it’s not the same Ryan Giggs who used to take the ball from the wing or
from Denis Irwin and dribble past everyone and deliver a great cross. But what
Ryan Giggs has is he can see the game, he is always available, he puts himself
in a position where he can receive the ball alone and then you will never lose
your touch. That's what I am going to try to bring to this team if I have to
play.
On the statue unveiling…
I am not ashamed to say that I cried. It's kind of unreal
because you are talking about a statue and here I am now a few weeks later
playing for Arsenal. It wasn't planned. I didn't know that was going to happen.
You can ask the boss, he said it himself - he was thinking about it but he
didn't talk to me. It happened pretty fast. The Club did what they did for me
with the statue and I still can't believe it. Now I have to play - it's weird.
Arsenal and me has always been a love story, with some bad days. Hopefully
people agree with me that there were more good days than bad days, but I just
love Arsenal Football Club. When the Club you love asks you just to be a squad
player, so be it. I just love the Club so much.
On being in some massive games…
It's crazy. I don't know if I will still be there for the Tottenham game because I also want to go back and prepare with my team. Being the team captain I have some duties to respect. I will have to talk with Arsène. I will definitely be there for the Man Utd game. I don't expect to start. The team will be what it is, but if I can give 10, 15, 20 minutes or whatever Arsène thinks I can give then obviously [I will play]. Being involved with Arsenal again is just amazing. Even if it is just five seconds, one second, or just talking in the dressing room, I will give my best whatever it is.
On closure to his Arsenal career…
For me being able to come here and train, being in the dressing room and seeing all the training staff, I have no words to describe it. To wear the jersey one more time, I can only be honoured. People might think I am just saying that, but when I left this Club I cried, I cried for the statue. I haven't cried a lot in my career, but when I do it seems that something is happening with Arsenal. In my time here I always tried to be honest, and I think the fans can see that. When I am happy, I am happy and when I am not they can see it too. The fans did recognise that they could read me. It's just me. I can be a pain at times, but I love the Club. They say love is blind, but it is difficult for me to say no to Arsenal.
Source: Arsenal Media
Source: DSG