Monaco rumors: Thierry Henry reportedly set to replace Leonardo Jardim as manager, and here's what to know
This would be the French legend's first head coaching job
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2 min read
It looks like Thierry Henry is about to get his big shot. According to ESPNFC, Monaco is set to sack current manager Leonardo Jardim and replace him with the World Cup-winner Henry. Here's what you need to know:
Why would Monaco need a new coach?
The honeymoon for Jardim is over. The Venezuela-born Portuguese manager joined Monaco in 2014 and has done a tremendous job, guiding the team to a quarterfinal and semifinal appearance in the Champions League and winning Ligue 1 in 2016-17, finishing with a record of 30-5-3. He hasn't finished lower than third since he arrived at the club, but this season's been a different story. The club has sold a lot of players to top clubs all around Europe, and while it usually doesn't have a problem reloading, this season the team has struggled.
Aside from being 0-0-2 in the Champions League group stage, Monaco is currently in 18th place in the league and in the relegation zone, going 1-3-5 to start the season. The club is averaging just one goal per game and hasn't won any of its last 10 games. The slow start likely prompted the reported change that's coming.
What's the Henry connection?
The average fan might not know this, but Henry actually began his career at Monaco. The 41-year-old was a youth player at the club and played for five years before going to Juventus. He also won a league title at Monaco.
What type of experience does he have?
Henry has been an assistant coach with the Belgium national team since 2016, finishing in third place at the World Cup this past summer. He's worked under experienced manager Roberto Martinez, and now may be the time to get his own gig.
What would the goals in his first season be?
They'd be simple -- get this Monaco team out of the relegation zone and try to finish in a Champions League spot, and they are currently 10 points back with but 29 games to go, so there's time. Also, when it comes to the Champions League, since they are six points back, the club would probably be OK with this team trying to finish third in the group to keep the option of winning the Europa League open, which is a way this team can also qualify for the Champions League. None of these accomplishments will come easy, but perhaps Henry is the man to come in and get this thing going again.
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