How Arsenal Would Benefit from Thierry Henry's Return

At the time of writing, Thierry Henry is taking a break to consider his next move.

He has announced his decision to leave the New York Red Bulls, and confirmation of his retirement can not be far behind; Henry is fiercely protective of his reputation, and he will surely be loath to risk his legacy by outstaying his welcome on the football field.

It is time for him to decide upon how and where to set about writing the next chapter of his life.

Most Arsenal fans consider the decision a no-brainer: They are ready to welcome him home. This Parisian prodigal son has spent time in Catalonia and America, but London is undoubtedly where he belongs.

Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Arsene Wenger certainly appears confident Henry will eventually return. At a press conference this month, per The Guardian, he said:

"

He is an Arsenal man. The best moment certainly of his life and of his career has been experienced here. Certainly one day he will come back here. In what role I don’t know, that is what he has to think about: what direction he wants to give to his next life.

"

Arsenal fans will hope that “one day” comes sooner rather than later. The Gunners are ready to crown their homecoming king.

The truth is that Henry’s return could well be the only party Arsenal get to throw this season.

They are out of the 2014/15 title race and face the prospect of a daunting draw against a group-winner in the Champions League. Emulating their FA Cup success of last season seems improbable at best. The season is already petering into a familiar battle for fourth place.

Clive Mason/Getty Images

Henry’s arrival would give everyone associated with the club a lift. Of course, it could never match the elation of a trophy win, but it would generate more excitement among the supporters than the turgid fare Wenger’s team are currently serving up at the Emirates Stadium.

The atmosphere around Arsenal is somewhat poisonous at present. Fans are splitting into factions and tensions are running high. The presence of banners criticising the manager has sparked aggression from both sides of the divide.

The return of a legend like Henry is one of the few events with the potential to unite the supporters. He could be an effective antidote to the antipathy emanating through the club. 

Perhaps, in time, Henry’s presence could do more than simply improve the mood. The capacity in which he is most likely to return is as a member of Wenger’s coaching staff.

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

A great player does not necessarily make a great coach. However, Henry is more than a great player: He is a great thinker about the game. To listen to him elucidate on his football philosophy is an education in itself.

Henry’s football brain was evident throughout his playing days. He used his brain to make the most of his talents. He may retire as one of the game’s great goalscorers, but it was not always thus. Henry admitted to The Blizzard (h/t The Guardian) that he “wasn’t born with a gift for goals.”

Instead, he became a student of the game, spending hours on the training ground perfecting the runs and the finishes that would enable him to become the top goalscorer in Arsenal history. He was gifted, but he had the intelligence and work ethic to maximise his potential.

Having been through the process himself, Henry is now in prime position to impart that knowledge to others. It’s exciting to imagine how the likes of Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott might absorb knowledge from the great man. Henry could be an inspiration, example and mentor.

In his Blizzard interview, Henry set out a kind of mission statement of the sort of coach he’d want to be:

"

I’d certainly want people to respect football. It’s impossible to have a great career and be out partying at midnight. I’ve done it, like everyone else. But a mistake shouldn’t become a habit.

For me, the pleasure lies in improving and being demanding with yourself. I cannot play a game to have fun. Either you play, or you don’t. Winning is only the end credits sequence of that particular film.

"

Arsenal fans want Henry back because he’s an icon of the club. However, in time, they may find his value as a coach could make him more than just an emotive totem. He has the intellect to make a genuine contribution and perhaps even be a future manager in his own right. 

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout the 2014-15 season. Follow him on Twitter here.