• Premier League

Henry defends Wenger and eyes Arsenal return

Thierry Henry has launched a passionate defence of Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, condemning the abuse that has been flowing in the direction of his former mentor in recent years.

Wenger's eight-year spell without a trophy has seen some of the club's supporters turn against the manager who brought Arsenal some of their finest triumphs, with Henry hoping the Frenchman's legacy has not been tarnished by his lack of success since the FA Cup victory in 2005.

"When you don't win, people are always going to question your work, your legacy and what you did before," he is quoted as saying in the Daily Mirror. "It is sad, but that is the way the game is.

"It is difficult to hear this criticism, difficult to see, but for me the boss will always be Arsene. He's always great for me and I know what he has done for the club.

"You are always going to get judged on your last performance or what you are doing at the moment, but it is kind of hard to criticise Arsene Wenger, knowing how he has changed the club and how the team is playing right now compared to how the team was playing before."

New York Red Bulls striker Henry has confirmed he hopes to return to Arsenal at some point in the coming years, admitting that is where his heart lies.

"All I know is that I will be involved in the game and hopefully be involved with Arsenal, because that is the heart talking there, that's the team I support," he said.

"Forget about me as a player, that's the team I support. If I can go back to the club, I would love to do it, but it's not up to me. It's more a desire than something that can be made official. I still have two years playing in New York and then I will see, but I would definitely love to be back with Arsenal."

There have been suggestions that Henry could be handed a worldwide ambassadorial role at Arsenal when he returns, similar to the posting his former team-mate Patrick Vieira is currently fulfilling at Manchester City.

However, his apparent support for rebel shareholder Alisher Usmanov may be a stumbling block to any future role for the club's all-time record goalscorer if the current board remain in place.

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