|
Henry is driven by anger
15/05/2006 16:07 - (SA)
London - If Thierry Henry is scowling in Wednesday's Champions League final, Barcelona had better watch out.
Arsenal's gifted 24-year-old French striker says he's driven by an anger developed during his youth growing up on the tough streets of suburban Paris.
"You always gets aggro on the streets, that's how you get tough," Henry said during the build-up to Wednesday's final at the Stade de France. "There's no better school than the streets.
"It's that anger factor and, when I see (Wayne) Rooney, I see a player from the streets. Ronaldinho is a player from the streets. You cannot teach that. You have to have that in you. I want to have it in me until I stop."
Henry's vision, speed and skill on the ball have made him one of the best players in the world, even though he doesn't have many medals outside of English soccer to prove it. He has helped Arsenal win two Premier League titles and four FA Cups but no trophy in Europe.
Now he's after the biggest European club tile of all. And don't expect him to be smiling.
Think about the next game
"You see it when I have that grumpy face on the pitch," Henry said. "Everything comes from my dad (Francois), the way I play, my desire, my commitment. I was taught never to be satisfied with what you have.
"So even when I score some goals I always play the thing down and think about the next game. That's my philosophy. That's why I have reached where I have reached and I'm playing the football I'm playing. That's my way."
Henry and Ronaldinho - arguably the best two players in the world at present - come face to face on Wednesday. Arsenal is making their first appearance in the final, while Barcelona are bidding to win the trophy for only the second time.
Henry's relaxed personality off the field contrasts with the intense, driven demeanour on the pitch.
"All the time people talk about Ronaldinho smiling," he said. "I can tell you that inside there are no smiles. I love basketball and saw the NBA in America and I grew up with Michael Jordan.
"I rarely saw Michael Jordan smiling on the court and that didn't stop him being one of the best. I don't think that anyone will ever touch him. At the last sound of the buzzer he was going back into the dressing room with a clench fist and a winning desire face."
It's a surprise that two of the most famous clubs in the game have had so little success in the 50-year-old competition, originally known as the European Cup, and that Henry has never played in the final.
Patrick Vieira went on instead
He didn't play in the 1998 World Cup final at the Stade de France either. He was getting ready to go on as a second-half substitute against Brazil only for coach Aime Jacquet to change his mind because defender Marcel Desailly was sent off. His future teammate at Arsenal, defensive midfielder Patrick Vieira, went on instead.
"On the spur of the moment I was disappointed that I didn't come on," Henry said. "But once you know you're going to lift that cup, I can't be that upset."
Now Henry, who has broken Arsenal's all-time scoring record with more than 200 goals in his seven-year spell with the club, is keeping the Gunners in suspense about his future. He could even be playing alongside Ronaldinho at Barcelona next season.
Henry has said he will only tell the Gunners his plans when this season ends. That should be after Wednesday's game and before the World Cup kicks off in Germany June 9.
If he has made his mind up, he's doing a good job keeping it a secret. When he became the first star to receive the English Football Writers' player of the year award for the third time last week, even an assembled 100 reporters couldn't get anything out of him.
|
Rugby
