Thierry Henry has informed Belgium of his intention to take over as the head coach of the Belgian national team after working as an assistant to Roberto Martinez.
It is known that the legendary player from Arsenal has served twice as an assistant coach for the Red Devils, the most recent stint beginning in 2021. However, it is believed that he now desires to take on a more prominent role and is willing to do so for a salary that is significantly lower than Martinez’s millions.
According to a publication in Belgium, even though he has not legally submitted an application for the position, he has informally proclaimed his desire to manage the national squad.
It is believed that Henry earned approximately $88,500 during his first stint as an assistant coach, all of which was donated to various charitable organizations. Martinez, who was also the technical director, earned approximately $2.65 million per year when bonuses were factored in.
This is in comparison to Martinez’s earnings. According to the stories coming out of Belgium, whoever lands the post will almost probably end up making less money; nonetheless, Henry is not deterred by this possibility in the least bit.
This comes after Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku and Toby Alderweireld both openly endorsed Henry for the job. Lukaku, who plays for Inter Milan, stated that Henry would be the “perfect” replacement for Martinez. Alderweireld, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur, made a similar statement.
Inter Milan striker believes one of Martinez’s aides will be the next man in charge of the team after Martinez stepped down from his position after Belgium’s sad early departure from the World Cup.
Lukaku believes that this provides Henry an advantage because Martinez has coached him twice with the Belgium national team throughout different periods of time.
During an interview, Lukaku did not make any effort to conceal his thoughts over the trajectory of his national team.
Lukaku stated that, “In my opinion, Henry should be the future coach of Belgium.” There is no room for doubt. I’ll just come out and say it: he’s going to be our new coach.’
The former Manchester United striker, who is now 29 years old, went on to say that Thierry Henry “has the respect of all the players” and “has won everything.”
He is an experienced coach who is aware of the steps that need to be taken in order for us to reach our goal. He is familiar with the squad, the league, and the coaching staff… Lukaku continued by saying, “He is the ideal coach for our national team in my eyes.”
In the meantime, Alderweireld said the following about Thierry Henry on the television show Peace on Earth: “Thierry Henry has won everything you can win in your career.” In addition, Henry is familiar with the team, which is an essential factor. Rejuvenation is obviously something that needs to take place, but you also need to be aware of where we came from. Henry is the best candidate for the job in this particular respect.
The player who holds the record for most goals scored for Arsenal also served as head coach for Monaco and the club formerly known as Montreal Impact.
In March, Belgium will kick off their qualification campaign for the European Championship by playing Sweden. If Henry is successful in landing the post, he will be tasked with a monumental endeavor just as the ‘golden generation’ enters its twilight years.