Thierry Henry 'could not say no' to dream Arsenal job

Thierry Henry has said it would be a "dream" to manage Arsenal one day but insists: "I need to learn first."

Henry, the club's all-time leading goal-scorer, is currently working at Arsenal as a youth coach in addition to his TV punditry work after announcing his retirement last year.

Speaking on The Jonathan Ross Show , in an interview to be broadcast on Saturday, the 37-year-old admitted that he would relish the chance to succeed Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, under fire once more after Wednesday's 3-1 defeat to Monaco, but did not feel he was ready yet.

"I don't know what Arsene wants to do and how long he wants to stay," he said in quotes reported by the Daily Mirror . "But I just want to be equipped - to be in the position, maybe one day, to be a manager.

"Being the manager of Arsenal FC would be a dream. I need to learn first. That is the most important thing."

He added: "I could not say no to Arsenal, so I would say yes. It should be great."
Henry, who played for Arsenal between 1999 and 2007 and returned for a brief loan spell in 2010, acknowledged that he would have to adapt his attitude.

"When I was playing I was a pain the neck as I was demanding of myself and of others," he said. "When you are coaching you can't scream and shout. You don't want to scare your players."

Wenger himself said in 2014 that Henry could eventually take on the job but would need to develop the necessary skills.

"He has to learn his job first," Wenger said. "I have seen so many people who have the qualities to be a manager but not survive their first job because they are not ready.

"When you are a football player, you think it's so simple to be a manager. When you are a manager, you think it's so complicated suddenly and, if you're not prepared for that, you cannot survive.

"You learn to handle a dressing room and people. This job is about ideas and putting them into practice. You can only do that if you have the responsibility of the team."

Former France international Henry also explained his decision to settle in London following his retirement.

Henry, who also played for Monaco, Juventus, Barcelona and New York Red Bulls, said the English capital suited him best.

"In Italy and Spain, more in Italy, the fans will wait for you after games," he said. "They will wait for you in the car park and try to fight with you.

That is why I came here to live. London is home for me. It goes with my mentality and the way I see things. When I arrived here, you understand that players need time and space and I enjoy that."