France misused Henry, so did Arsenal!
Arsene Wenger has talked about France ‘misusing’ Thierry Henry - and while I haven’t found any direct quotes on Wenger directly saying that Henry’s current injury problems are France’s fault, what he has said does seem to imply it.
Wenger quotes:
“I feel Henry has been badly managed by France.
After the World Cup final I gave him a holiday. France called him up less than 14 days after he came back - and they played him in the whole game.
It was a friendly, so why did they need to play him in the whole game? And he has played every friendly since, when he was already on his knees.”
In all fairness to Arsenal, Wenger has a solid basis for his statements - Domenech played Henry in 7 international games this season (3 of them friendlies) and has played him for 90 minutes in all but one of the games.
However, from France’s point of view, they wanted their best players for their games. Ehile you can harp on about the club vs country debate, both sides have valid points.
What interests me is the lack of admission that Arsenal themselves mismanaged Henry’s situation. He was played in the beginning of the season when it was clear that he was unfit. He was ‘brought back’ when he still lacked match practice. He was played in the PSV game when he was still unfit and needed a rest.
Ideally, Henry should have been rested for most of the season and used very sparingly. Shouldn’t Wenger and Arsenal hold their hands up and say that yes, we shouldn’t have played Henry this much?
The rest (5 months out) will do Henry good but ideally he shouldn’t play that much next season either - considering that he will be heavily involved in Euro 2008, Arsenal should use Henry very carefully so that he is fit enough to play after Euro 2008 for a couple of years more (and does not fall out of the game through injuries and exhaustion).
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“they wanted their best players for their games”
In the case of friendlies, there really is no need. Look at other countries, players play for 1 half.
“ideally he shouldn’t play that much next season either” This is nonsence. Arsenal pay TH’s wages and need him to be playing to challenge for trophies. France’s needs are totally secondary. Why should Arsenal keep him rested for Euro 2008? What do they gain?
Arsenal pay his wages & take all the risk. Arsenal are entitled to play him in every game & it’s about time the federations had to take over the wages & insurance whilst these players are on international duty!!
Stop talking shit. If we have ‘mismanaged’ him then how come he has hardly missed a game for us in the last 8 years?
Yes Wenger admitted that he had rushed Henry into playing too soon, please check before writing thank you.
Your article wouyld be a bit more balanced if you looked at the squad France was using for the friendlies. It wasn’t a first 11. There is a histyory between Wenger and Domenech. Wenger doesn’t engage in weekly phone calls with him so this is Domenech’s way of getting back at Wenger. I hope Henry gets back at Domenech by quiting international football.
Erm, you’re a bit of a tool aren’t you fella? Wenger does mention that he DID take a risk with Henry. However, as previously mentioned, AFC pay his wages and Henry would have wanted to play, as he did before Wenger made him rest for thye games he missed before Xmas.
So as I said, non-story as usual.
Ta-ra
Like Gooni has already stated: Arsenal and Wenger have repeatedly admitted that their rushing back of Henry has aggravated his injury.
“I take responsibility for all the rest, but not for what I have not done.”
http://breakingnews.ie/sport/?jp=MHAUKFSNSNEY
A little research might help before you go Arsenal bashing again. You’d think, with all the practice, you might get a bit better at it.
I’m an Arsenal fan, but I’m, fed up & embarrased by Wenger constantly blaming all & sundry for the club’s problems. If he stuck to the cases where we have a case (cards-per-foul stats prove we get a raw deal from refs) he might win those arguments and achieve something. But maoning about everything just waters down the argument and turns it back on himself.
In this case Arsenal pay TH’s wages and so are entitled to play him, and his national manager should be more prepared to compromise with friendly internationals. However, AW was wrong to bring an unfit TH back against PSV and I’m not surprised the plan backfired on him.
Of course, if he’d bought the players we needed in the previous two summers and we hadn’t started a ruck in the Carling Cup Final, we might have enough cover to more easily afford to leave TH out of the side.
Al, this isnt the first time something like this has happened. When France flew to Australia and Chile to play meaningless friendlies we ended up paying the price with Pires’ cruciate imjury. Its not the actual matches that does the damage, its the travelling. Platini is a cock, and hes 100% right when he says that he is no physiotherapist but what he doesnt understand is that this isnt like a broken leg, its the result of constant wear and tear. There isnt a finer athelete than Thierry Henry in the Premiership (maybe Kolo Toure) but he has played 340 over 8 years for Arsenal alone.
Who is writing this article? Nearly no basis for it. Wenger blamed himself as much as he blamed Domenech in the very article the author is citing. Moreover, playing the bulk of three friendlies is inexcusable, especially for a player with various nagging injuries.
Alot of angry gooners, I wonder why? Is it because your season is over ? If you ask me Wenger blames everyone and anything but himself, the man thinks he’s faultless, he is a top manager but arrogance is his biggest fault. Henry has been overplayed by both parties thats a fact. Both rely too much on him, although I think Aresanal should decide whats best as they pay his wage, I dont think he’ll be a gooner next season I think he will go spain or Italy, everyone involved at arsesanal accept that Henry has plyed his best years for you and it’s time to move on. I would also like to ask why is he the captain he’s not a leader and gilberto why vice captain, Toure is the man for the armband anyone agree ? Bunch of pansies !!!
Toure is not fit to be captain, he is far too rash. Though, the same can be said for Vieira, Keane and Cantona but who’s counting. Toure still lack that mental toughness required and Henry is a very good role model. In theory, he should be captain, just because he IS Arsenal. IMO, Henry has become just a little too big for the club and I still think he is past his sell by date. He is stagnating at the club and with him, Arsenal don’t seem to be moving in the right direction. However, that’s for another day.
Henry, is a victim of sheer pace in football, where you see his achilles, knee and calf injury set to come in at the end of his career. There are already signs to it when he confessed that he played much of last few seasons, ON SERIOUS PAINKILLERS. Arsenal’s reliance on him is like ManYoo’s reliance on Ruud a couple seasons back. The team ain’t progressing anywhere. If you Arsenal fans are bright enough to figure it out, Henry needs to be sold for another revolution to start. He is not the one to lead you into another golden generation. If you open you’re eyes, you’ll see that when he’s fit and playing, he seldom use his pace down that left flank anymore, playing a more Bergkamp role. All those time under the knife does wonders for a person’s pysche.
fair enough - Arsenal and Henry have admitted their mistake, I remembered that but chose to discuss the article in its current context without referring to past statements. The article could have been done differently, yes.
Domenech is a tool, but as I said earlier the club vs country debate is not something that I want to get in. The current regulations do not allow club managers much say and the fixture congestion (league and international) doesn’t help either.
What I was more interested in was Henry’s future, and how Arsenal manage him for the next season. I don’t think that came across too well
At the end of the day though, it’s not as much Henry’s injuries as the lack of replacements that are an issue.
Platini’s remarks are interesting, if misguided.
Arseblogger - nice to see you return to defend arsenal’s honour. I’ve been thinking a lot about bias in football and what not, I’ll be sending you an email soon with some ideas…
but believe me - if this was arsenal bashing, you havent seen proper bashing
Or does calling everyone that’s not Arsenal a cunt translate into rational opinion?
Even though Henry’s now injured he hasn’t been that good all season (considering he’s “the best in the world” according to gooners), maybe his eye is off the ball and he’s regretting not taking that opportunity to go to Barca, it’d probable have been better for Arsenal as well with £30million to spend on Trezeguet, Buffon, etc. Whichever side of the argument, I think we can all agree with Steve, Platini is a COCK.
What the fu(k?
Henry has played seven times for France and about 40 times for Arsenal and it is suddenly France’s fault that he is injured.
I agree with Domenech, I’m starting to lose it with Wenger. He has no respect for anybody else, but his team. He has never anything, but excuses and excuses when things don’t go his way.
I really hope he would pack his bags and leave England.
“After he had played in the World Cup final – why do they need to play him in the whole game??
And all this, while some players play 60-70 games a year. And even some strikers 50+