'A striker must visualise a finish before receiving the ball'

MUMBAI: He is happily retired now and is still finding his feet as a football manager. He was a huge star but is humble enough to seek tips from French legend Zinedine Zidane or his World Cup winning teammate and skipper Dider Deschamps. He uses those tips to get better in his role as assistant coach of Belgium. Thierry Henry, Arsenal, Barcelona and France legend, has done it all.But old habits, they say, die hard. So Henry still hits the gym whenever he can. No wonder he looked as fit as he did during his playing days, if not fitter.
“I make sure that I take good care of myself. It is always difficult for an athlete to stop training. You see some of them losing shape but it's difficult to get back in shape once you have stopped. Ideally, you need not stop. Sure, it is not easy at times. In fact, I am more busy now than when I was playing. But somehow one needs to find the time. Every human being should go to the gym and try and take care of their body,” Henry said.
Talking about his experience in India, Henry said: “A lot of stuff has been happening since I arrived from England. I went to the hotel took some rest then went to the mall which was a great experience. Met some of the fans. Then went straight to the stadium. I was happy to meet some of the old guys yesterday (Tuesday in Kolkata) with whom I used to play - Diego Forlan. He scored the winner for Mumbai.”
Having played for Barcelona, he will be keeping an eye out, like all football fans, for the El Clasico (La Liga clash between Real Madrid and Barcelona). For Henry though, the El Clasico is just another game. “You don't need any special preparations. Everybody lets you know that an El Clasico is around. It doesn't matter if you are in Spain or England. Players know exactly what they are going to do. It is also known that most of the times when you win that game, you end up winning the title,” he explained.
Henry also did some wonderful things for Arsenal under Arsene Wenger. There is talk about him becoming England's manager, but he doesn't see it happening. You can never say never but I personally don't see it happening,” Henry said. “Arsene likes to be on the field on a daily basis and when you're coach of a national team you don't get to do that,” he added.
Talking about his days as a striker, Henry explained in detail what separates a good striker from a great one. “It is not so much about what you can do or not do. A lot of strikers can finish a certain way. You have to be imaginative. You should plan in your mind before you get the ball what your next move is going to be. You should know how to finish a move even before you receive the ball,” said the man who is in India on a promotional visit for Puma.
The Indian Super League has been a talking point and Henry was absolutely blunt when he said that for anything to grow, the grassroots should be good. “It is important to raise awareness by bringing some international players and international coaches. It is important for youngsters to learn alongside those players and coaches. The future of this league and football in this country is grassroots and youth,” he stressed.