By Myles Palmer
Talkative Thierry Henry is such a gem!
He makes football sound like fun. And it should be fun.
His quotes yesterday were great, talking about enjoying Hampstead being like a village, going out to see a film, and all that normal bloke stuff.
Henry said: “In London I can be myself. I have no obligation to be anybody. Sometimes I go to the cinema or out for a meal. I like Hampstead, it is like a village in the middle of the city. I don’t understand foreign players who come to London and then live in country mansions. I would rather be in the centre and enjoy the culture. Robert Pires and Sylvain Wiltord are trying to buy houses near me and we will have our own little village.
“In London I saw a man in the street with a Spurs scarf on. The man looked me in the eyes and said: `There is nothing I hate more in the world than Arsenal but you are a good player so I wish you good luck for your next game.’
“Can you imagine if I was playing for Marseille walking in Paris and coming across a Paris Saint Germain fan? It would have never been like that. That is life in London – passion but a lot of tolerance. I am here for my job but I could not be in a better place. I feel at home here.”
He talked about loving Arsenal even before he signed. “I have always been attracted to Arsenal. I always watched them on TV, even before the French players came here. I can still remember the goal Ian Wright scored against Auxerre in 1995.I can also remember them beating PSG in 1994. It was the time that Arsenal were called boring but they were a classy side.
“I was envious when Patrick Vieira signed for Arsenal. Whenever I saw him with the young French team I always asked him about how it was. If there is one thing which will always stay with me it was the emotion I felt for my first game at Highbury in an Arsenal shirt.”
What do I predict against Chelsea?
A replay.
I was worried about Lyon and they do not have anybody as penetrating as Hasselbaink.
Or Gronkjaer, who slalomed through the Man United defence last week like Jean-Claude Killy in an Olympic downhill final.
I thought Arsenal would miss Stepanovs in Lyon. They did, but they won 1-0 because they had Tony Adams.Without Tony in a game like this, I dont know what Wenger will do.
If it was me I would play more like France : be more defensive. Use Vieira as a strict anchorman. If you’ve got the best defensive midfield player in the world, use him to guarantee clean sheets.
Especially when you are without Adams and Keown.
Since Tuesday night Arsene Wenger and Lee Dixon have told us that Seaman is playing very well.
I really,really hope they are right about that.
Meanwhile,Henry’s mate Nicolas Anelka was still moaning about the fans in his hometown. Having scored in a 1-1 Champions’ League draw against Milan on Wednesday he criticised Paris St-Germain supporters for treating him with a lack of respect.
“A lot of people are unhappy with me because I earn money.They don’t respect me – just for that. They forget very quickly that I work very hard every time I go on the pitch.”
What a contrast with Thierry Hemry, who realises that you can only get out of life what you put in.
Anelka is moody, ungrateful and uncommunicative.
Henry is the complete opposite : gregarious, happy-go-lucky, fond of his team mates, and especially respectful of Adams & Vieira, and, generally speaking, a young man who is apreciative of the life a rich young bachelor can build
for himself in a big city.
Thierry Henry is a lucky young man who knows that he is a lucky young man.
Character is destiny and Anelka is just programmed to be unhappy.
18th February 2001.