ZAC LEE RIGG – I don’t think anyone was very surprised when news “broke” this week that Thierry Henry will join the New York Red Bulls after the World Cup. It was more of a, “Oh, they’re finally admitting that?” sort of thing.
Part of the deflated feeling going around has to be related to Henry’s rapid decline this year. There was no shame in losing his spot to a youngster in Pedro, a guy who exploded for over 20 goals in his first season with the first team. But when Josep Guardiola left Henry sitting cold on the bench in the Champions League semifinal–in both legs no less–that’s when people realized this former great wasn’t a viable option for a big team anymore.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited to have Henry join MLS – a move that means I’ll likely get to interview him in person. But I’ve got my reservations.
First of all, how many years do those legs have in them – how many more tackles or unforgiving turf pitches can they take? This is a guy who has relied on pace most of his career, and once that fell off, we saw his goalscoring drop dramatically as well. He has four goals in La Liga this season, a pitiful offering for a guy who hit 30 and 40 goals a season (in all competitions) for Arsenal seemingly with ease.
Major League Soccer is a grueling league physically. All those long flights cramped in economy class, only to get out and play on a sandbox in Houston or on a piece of frozen plastic in Boston. Guys like Guillermo Barros Schelotto have survived by dropping off a striker and using their vision and cunning to carve out space and chances. Henry’s game was never about playmaking.
New York will likely pair him with Juan Pablo Angel. I’m curious to see how those two meld their roles. Feasibly, Henry can drift a bit to create for the poaching Angel. But two old guys up against a bruising pair of centerbacks makes me wonder. I can just imagine Preki’s pre-game team talk to his defenders.
Given his pedigree, Henry should give fans some good value. At one point he was the best player in the Europe, and he’ll be the most talented to ever take part in MLS. I think if he can adjust his role and provide steady service rather than exceptional stunts, similar to the adjustment David Beckham made to his game at the end of 2009, he’ll be a success. But fans need to be aware they’re getting hopefully a solid contributor, a good presence in the locker room, and a few bright moments of the past; they’re not getting a great in his prime.