HARRISON, N.J. – Thierry Henry walked into the New York Red Bulls locker room for the final time Tuesday with a wide smile, well after most of his teammates had already arrived.
He shook hands with every single player, club staffers and members of the media, preparing to say his farewell to the club he has called home for the past four-and-a-half years.
And for one last time in MLS, he stepped into the spotlight.
Henry announced on Monday his intention not to return to the Red Bulls after his contract expires at the end of the year, closing a memorable and enjoyable chapter for both he and the club. The decision had been the subject of endless discussion around the club this year, but it was one that had been made long ago by the 37-year-old striker.
Henry had refrained from making that decision public until now, however, hoping to keep the attention on the team he joined in 2010, rather than himself.
He knew the time would come when he would have to talk about this exit, and that time came during the Red Bulls’ end-of-season availability on Tuesday when Henry spoke in a very relaxed, grateful and unusually pleasant tone.
“I was always going to leave after four-and-a-half years; that was always going to be the case, and that was never going to change,” Henry said. “I had a blast. It wasn’t easy at times, difficult at the beginning for me personally, but afterwards I embraced the league and I knew what the league was about. And I embraced New York, too.”
The Red Bulls fan base embraced him back. Thanks to his burning desire to win and his highlight-reel goals and assists, Henry became a fan favorite. He also evolved into the heart of the club, a brilliant and passionate player that stood as good a chance as any to lead it to the promised land of an MLS Cup title.
Ultimately, that never transpired. Henry helped the Red Bulls win their first league trophy with the 2013 Supporters’ Shield, and ignited their run to the Eastern Conference Championship game this year, but Henry never made it to the MLS Cup Final.
Henry, however, insisted Tuesday that he would not change any part of how things played out.
“Things happen for a reason, and that’s the way it is,” he said. “You learn a lot in some critical and tough moments. I wouldn’t change anything. That’s the way it is. What should happen will happen, so that’s always been my view on stuff, and you get what you deserve at the end. That’s how it is.”
As much as Henry's final session with the area media was about reflecting on the past, he also took the time to explain some of his actions. Most notably, he addresssed the times when he appeared very critical of his teammates, and why he acted the way he did.
“It is emotional. I won’t see [my teammates] anymore. I won’t scream at them anymore – I’m sure they won’t miss that – but like I said so many times, it was for the good of the team,” Henry said. “When you see me getting upset or happy or whatever, it’s for the good of the team. But at the end of the day, you’re here to win something, you’re not here to like each other. We all became friends, don’t get me wrong, but when you’re on the field, it’s a thing that you need to do."
Henry also took the chance to explain some of his curt habits with the press, highlighted recently by his four-word exit after the Red Bulls were eliminated by New England last weekend.
“I wasn’t always the best to interview, I know,” he said. “You guys are allowed to come in the dressing room [15] minutes after the game, so sometimes it’s better to walk away or not talk at all before you say something stupid. That explains a lot, hopefully, for you guys, because in Europe you have the time to take a shower, relax, think about the game and then make sense. Thank you guys, although it wasn’t always easy.”
One other subject Henry broached, albeit lightly, was his unclear future. He was asked about the recent comments made by Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, who stated Tuesday that Henry would be back at the club in some capacity in the future. Henry admitted that he would like to return to the London club where he built much of his legend, but stopped short of saying that it was a foregone conclusion.
“That’s the wish. Christmas is arriving soon, so it’s a wish,” Henry said. “It’s not something that’s going to happen like this. It is a wish. Everybody knows how much I love the club, my feeling about it. It is a wish right now. I’m not trying to get out of the question, but it’s only a day now [since I announced my departure], so, yeah, it is a wish.”
Henry might be ready to move onto the next challenge, but his legacy with the Red Bulls and MLS will remain. That was apparent on Monday when players from all corners of the league delivered an outpouring of gratitude on social media following Henry’s announcement, a gesture that truly surprised him.
His teammates, both past and present, also expressed appreciation for all they learned from playing and training alongside him, something Henry is valuing greatly as he prepares to say goodbye to MLS.
“There is nothing better than when you can help your teammates mentally or any other way to be a better player,” said Henry. “That’s something that I will always take on board more than the rest. Don’t get me wrong, you’re here obviously to perform and to win, but that’s the type of thing that I came with in my head when I came here: to make sure I can help people get better.”
