Accused of not being patient with young players, Thierry Henry has changed his coaching approach as the coach of the French U-21 national team.
Thierry Henry has learned from his past failures. As the coach of the U-21 national team, he has adapted his coaching style to the new generation of players, aiming to help them improve and overcome their weaknesses.
« What bothered me at Monaco is that they said I wasn’t patient with young players. That’s false, completely false, it was actually the opposite. I wouldn’t have taken the job as the U-21 coach if that were the case. But until I prove that I can do it, I’ll keep hearing this: ‘He was a great player, so it must be difficult for him to understand when someone can’t do something,' » he revealed in an interview with L’Équipe.
« However, I’m evolving, and so I tell myself: how can I try not to think about it? Well, in my mind, I go to the extreme. I assume, for example, that my player doesn’t know how to dribble, and I set up a system in which he feels comfortable, always with multiple passing options. I always start from the premise that the player doesn’t know how to do it because it allows me to work on myself, » he added.
