Thierry Henry is the new head coach for the Montreal Impact

In going through my Twitter feed this morning I saw this announcement from Arsenal legend Thierry Henry:

With all the doom and gloom headlines of late regarding Arsenal and Unai Emery, it was nice to see some good news emerge with Arsenal connections.

Henry’s success in North London is well documented. He is the Gunners’ all-time leading goal scorer, has won two Premier League titles and two FA Cups, won two La Liga titles with Barcelona and was a member of France’s 1998 World Cup winning side. He also won numerous individual awards and honors throughout his playing career.

In 2010 Henry moved stateside and joined the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer. He scored 52 goals in 135 appearances and led his side to the 2013 Supporters’ Shield.

After his playing days, Henry made the move to coaching. He served as assistant Belgium national team coach alongside Roberto Martinez for two years.

In October 2018, Henry was introduced as the new head coach for Ligue 1 side Monaco. It was a homecoming for the Frenchman who began his senior career in the principality. Henry inherited a flawed side and was given limited time to turn things around. He was in charge for just twenty matches and was dismissed with Monaco in 19th place. He left with a record of 4 wins, 5 draws, and 11 defeats, and a reputation for being a very demanding, some may say unrealistically so, manager.

Today the Montreal Impact announced that Thierry Henry has been hired as the club’s new head coach on a two-year deal, with an option for 2022.

After the news broke, Henry expressed his feelings about his new position.

It’s an honor to coach the Montreal Impact and return to MLS. It’s a league I know well, in which I had some very nice moments. To be in Quebec, in Montreal, which has an enormous multicultural heritage, it’s extraordinary. I’ve always kept an eye on the club and now I’m here.

Montreal Impact president and CEO Kevin Gilmore added,

We are extremely happy to announce the nomination of this legend of the game. Henry will bring a new energy to our club. He shares our vision to elevate this club and will help us achieve our goals on and off the field. He is a competitor and a leader who has proven himself at the highest level throughout his career. He now brings these qualities with him to Montreal, a place he wants to be.

I hope that Henry learned from his experience at Monaco and can be a more mellow, positive influence on the Impact.