Thierry Henry Steps Down as CF Montreal Manager, Citing Family Reasons

CF Montreal announced manager Thierry Henry stepped down Thursday, citing family reasons.

Henry, a former standout striker at Arsenal and Barcelona, released a statement through the MLS club:

"It is with a heavy heart that I've decided to take this decision. The last year has been an extremely difficult one for me personally. Due to the worldwide pandemic, I was unable to see my children. Unfortunately due to the ongoing restrictions and the fact that we will have to relocate to the U.S. again for several months will be no different. The separation is too much of a strain for me and my kids. Therefore, it is with much sadness that I must take the decision to return to London and leave CF Montreal."

Henry took over at Montreal in November 2019. He guided the club to nine wins, four draws and 16 losses across all competitions.

Club sporting director Olivier Renard also commented about the manager's sudden exit:

"Thierry's departure is unfortunate and premature because this was very promising, but he informed me of his desire to be back with his family because the situation was and remains very difficult for both him and his family. I want to thank him, first on a human level because he led the players by example last year by being away from his family, but also from a sporting level and for what we have built together since his arrival. We wanted to elevate this club and we are on the right track. The process of finding a new head coach is already underway and I will be looking for someone who is aligned with the philosophy we have implemented."

Montreal finished ninth in the 14-team Eastern Conference standings during the 2020 season and was eliminated by the New England Revolution in the play-in round of the playoffs. It reached the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League before getting knocked out by Honduran side CD Olimpia.

The club didn't immediately name an interim replacement, with the 2021 campaign scheduled to kick off in April.

Henry previously served as manager of Ligue 1 club Monaco in his native France from October 2018 through January 2019. The four-month stint produced a lackluster 4-5-11 record before he was let go.

The 43-year-old enjoyed a decorated playing career, winning two Premier League titles at Arsenal, two La Liga championships at Barcelona and a World Cup title with the French national team.