FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – If Thierry Henry played his last game for the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, he did so by delivering another dazzling performance.
The Red Bulls saw their season and MLS Cup title hopes come to a bitter end on Saturday, but it was Henry who almost changed New York’s fate for the better. In fact, he nearly willed his club to the victory it needed - on turf no less - to advance from the Eastern Conference Championship, beautifully assisting on Tim Cahill’s second-leg opener (WATCH it here) and getting involved in most of his side’s more promising attacking sequences.
Ultimately, New York settled for a 2-2 draw that eliminated them from postseason contention via a 4-3 aggregate score. All Henry would say afterwards in his postgame interview was an unprompted, “Well done, New England,” before walking away from the media, but his teammates and head coach were not short on words when it came to discussing the era in Red Bulls history that may just have come to a close.
“I don’t think there will ever be a player in this league – there never has been – that has what Thierry has in all aspects,” said manager Mike Petke. “… I’m honored to have played with him, coached, and witnessed him every day in practice, the good and the bad times. Whatever he decides to do, he is going to be successful at whatever he does. It’s just been a phenomenal two years as a head coach to have a mind like that and a person like that.”
There is much uncertainty as to what the 37-year-old Henry will do next. Many speculate that he will retire or, at a minimum, leave the Red Bulls this offseason given that his four-year deal will expire.
New York’s captain has maintained throughout the season that he will not make a decision one way or the other until the winter, but Petke revealed Saturday that he has known what Henry will do since early in the year. Petke would not disclose what that final decision will be, but all signs continue to point to Henry’s departure.
“Thierry’s contract status, not to say he’s not coming back or anything, but his current contract was a four-year project,” said Petke.
If Henry decides to leave the club for good this offseason, he will leave behind a bevy of memories, plenty of highlight-reel goals and the first significant trophy in the club’s history.
That possible development would also not be much of a surprise. His former and very beloved club, English side Arsenal, made its first stateside appearance in more than two decades in July to play New York in a friendly, and Red Bulls head of global football, Gerard Houllier, has said on two separate occasions that Henry was leaning towards retirement.
Some are still holding out hope that the passionate Henry – who was seen celebrating Cahill’s opener with plenty of euphoria on Saturday – taps into that competitive drive and returns for one more season. He showed this year in the regular season and in the playoffs that he still has what it takes to compete at an extremely high level, and his time in New York seems a bit incomplete without an MLS Cup trophy.
A formal decision will be forthcoming, but his time in New York will likely be looked at fondly no matter when and how it ends.
“Regardless if this is Thierry's last game or not, I’m very grateful for the experience,” said goalkeeper Luis Robles. “He not only provides the feedback necessary to continue to grow as a player but his example and the class that he’s shown in the last four-and-a-half years is a model for anyone.
“I think the organization is also grateful. I’m not necessarily convinced that it is done, but regardless of what happens, he’ll continue to be an asset, whether it’s in the past or going forward.”
Franco Panizo covers the New York Red Bulls for MLSsoccer.com.
