After Red Bulls sporting director Andy Roxburgh hinted team captain Thierry Henry – who is entering the final year of his contract – might extend his deal beyond next season, the French superstar confirmed as much.
The 36-year-old Henry did a lengthy interview with Sky Sports, and though he acknowledged his contract is set to expire following the 2014 season, he is not ready to say he’ll retire at the end of the campaign.
“I am trying to finish my career, which is something I really have to concentrate on. This is my last year, actually, the one coming,’’ Henry told Sky Sport.
When Henry was asked whether that meant he’s retiring after the season, Henry said not necessarily.
“I am not saying I am retiring,’’ Henry said. “I’m saying that’s my last year on paper, to make it clear.”
Back on Dec. 10, the Post had reported Roxburgh wanted to have Henry stay beyond 2014 and the striker might be amenable since he was happy with the direction of the organization after winning its first meaningful silverware, last season’s Supporters’ Shield, and the CONCACAF Champions League berth that goes with it.
“This is the last year of this particular contract, but there’s no reason why he couldn’t extend it,” Roxburgh said at the time. “Right now, I don’t think he’s thinking like that, because when I sat down with him when the season finished, I just asked him straight, ‘So you’re playing next season?’ Immediately as soon as I asked, ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘I’m very optimistic about the way things are going, and I want to be involved in it.’ That was enough. If he comes away with the same reaction next year, who knows?”
Henry will turn 37 in August, during next season’s dog days. But he was stellar according to the 2013 regular-season stats, ranked 15th in MLS in the all-encompassing Castrol stat. That put him just a tad behind fellow Designated Player Tim Cahill as the team’s best player.
Henry had 10 goals and had another 19 shots on target (0.36 goals and 0.68 shots on target per 90 minutes played), the 20th best in MLS in goals/minute. He was also 10th best in passing, underscoring that he does more than just score.
“You never lose the quality,” Roxburgh said. “The quality is just — he’s from another level altogether — it’s phenomenal the things that he can do. People talk about his pace and things like that, but he still has explosive power. When you see him some times suddenly change pace and go past people — you see it in training every day, you see it in the games –- there’s no doubt that he’s fantastic and still got this explosive power about him as well as the ability.’’
Henry started 27 games, his most since coming to MLS, and his 2,519 minutes were fourth-most among Red Bull position players. But with Henry nursing a chronic Achilles injury, that number could drop, or at least be spread out.
“What you’ve got to do naturally when someone gets to that age, you’ve got to try and manage his situation and make sure that you don’t exhaust him, because someone who is explosive and creative like that, if they become exhausted, then they are no longer creative and explosive,’’ Roxburgh said. “It’s a matter of protecting him a little bit to make sure that he’s fresh and he’s sharp, but he’s still in very good condition, Titi, and he’s a genius for a football player.”