Arsene Wenger has warned Thierry Henry that he will have to dedicate his life if he wants to become a top-class manager.
The club’s all-time record goalscorer announced this week that he is leaving New York Red Bulls, although he has not indicated what his next move will be.
Amid speculation about his protégé’s future, Wenger noted that it can take time to make the transition from playing to coaching.
"In this job, it's a dedication of your life. You have to realise there is nothing else than that."
Arsene Wenger
“It's a different job, but it's dedication,” the Arsenal manager said. “In this job, it's a dedication of your life. You have to realise there is nothing else than that.
“If you look around me [for] people who have worked without interruption for 30 years in this job, you will not find many.
“[Thierry] has to choose what he wants to do after his [playing] career.”
Wenger also said Henry deserves a one-off friendly for France as a farewell.
“I think that is the minimum the French federation can do,” he said. “After what happened with Ireland in the qualifiers, the situation was not handled too well by the federation.
“I don’t think the feeling between Henry and the federation was good at the time and I think they owe him that. I hope he will get that, and get the honour he deserves.”
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