Montreal (AFP)
Former French international striker Thierry Henry, who will try to bounce back in the North American MLS championship as the new coach of the Montreal Impact, pleaded patience on Monday with the club that is rebuilding after missing the "playoffs" during the last three seasons.
Henry (42) said at his first press conference since the announcement of his surprise arrival in Montreal Thursday that he was the one who contacted the Impact after a first nightmare experience as head coach in Monaco. "Everyone knew that I did not have a job," he said.
The technical director of the team, Olivier Renard, said that "many people, Belgian coaches, Italian coaches" were interested in the job. With Henry, "it was more or less in mid-October that there were first contacts and we felt that marriage could take shape."
"There is a new start and we have to go straight ahead, try to build well, that's what will happen here," the former 1998 world champion forward promised.
"We do not build an inheritance in two months, three months or even a year, we will have to work hard, be patient, but we know what we want to do with a certain identity and philosophy," insisted Henry.
"We'll have to bring back the community with us too, I think it's really important, because I think the fans need to see themselves on the team and see that the team represents the team. It's up to us to bring them back on our side, "he added.
For the young French technician, it's the opportunity to bounce back after a failed start as head coach in Monaco. Appointed with great fanfare in the fall of 2018 on the bench of his training club, Henry was ousted after only 100 days on the Rock and five victories in twenty matches.
Returning to his disappointments in Monaco, Henry was a philosopher: "The only mistake you can make is not to learn what happened, it did not work, I wish them the best of luck" .
© 2019 AFP