Topics: Thierry Henry, Arsene Wenger, Pep Guardiola, Arsenal, Manchester City, Football
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has revealed who he thinks is the better manager between Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger.
Over his illustrious career, French superstar Henry played under Wenger during his time at Arsenal before playing for Guardiola at Barcelona from 2008 to 2010.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Premier League clash between Arsenal and Manchester City, Henry has revealed who he thinks is the better manager between Wenger and Guardiola.
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He said on the Rest is Football podcast: “Arsene [Wenger] opened my brain and Pep [Guardiola] opened my eyes. I still am, but back in the day I was stubborn as hell. Oh my gosh.
“I think I know my game. You come out of Arsenal. You go to Barcelona and he comes and he tells me to stay high and wide because he says he wants to free space for [Andres] Iniesta.
“I’m looking and thinking ‘what the hell is he talking about, this guy?’. You’ve never seen me play? I can come in midfield and take the ball. But he says ‘I’m happy for you but we are not doing this’. Every time you need to make a run and most of the time you won’t get it.
Henry continued: “I’m like ‘hang on, am I a decoy player now?’ From touching every single ball both halves, even when I didn’t want it? ‘Yes you need to go in and run in behind. You free the space for Iniesta’.
“I’m like ‘that won’t work, what is he talking about?’ [But] that’s exactly what happens every game. We knew what we had to do. Every single detail. He controlled everything. And you’re like ‘that won’t last’. Well, it does last and every time he manages!”
“What I would say about Pep is, first and foremost, he is the best I have seen.”
Henry went on to explain the ruthlessness of Guardiola.
He said: “Pep is ruthless and I experienced it. Sometimes I travelled and he used to put me in the stands. I’m 32, 33 at that moment. You make me travel and you put me in the stand?’.
“Pep wants to win. That’s how you have to see it. It’s in the title. If I’m in the stand, it’s because he thinks he can win without me. He is ruthless. Big clubs and big coaches don’t wait for nobody. I don’t care who you are, what you did.”
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