Belgium assistant coach Thiery Henry is in talks with Egypt over the prospect of becoming their next manager.
This has been revealed by Nader Es-Sayed who says he held talks with Henry’s representatives and the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) board member Hazem Emam in London. El-Sayed, who is a former Zamalek goalkeeper, works as an agent and in sports marketing. Henry is waiting to learn more of the EFA’s plans for developing the team before deciding whether to take up the offer, claims El-Sayed.
“We had a meeting with Thierry Henry’s agent in London, and Hazem Emam was present. Henry is waiting for the EFA’s project for the team before deciding on the offer, apart from the economic aspect,” he told Egyptian radio, as quoted by King Fut.
Henry has been working as Roberto Martinez’s assistant with Belgium since 2016 but has been pursuing the chance to take on a top job at either club or international level. He stepped down from a lucrative role as a television pundit this month and was linked with the Aston Villa manager’s job, although the Championship club decided to back current boss Steve Bruce.
Egypt has been without a coach since Hector Cuper left his post in June, following their group-stage exit from the World Cup.
Henry is also linked with Villa job and Steve Bruce admitted he was so shocked to see Thierry Henry linked with the Aston Villa job that he “blurted out his coffee”.
Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens took a controlling stake in the club from Tony Xia earlier in the week and now Bruce, 57, faces uncertainty over his future at Villa Park.
The new owners are due to meet Bruce for the first time within the next week, with the former Manchester United defender telling reporters (via the Daily Mail) that he will know more after the meeting.
He said: “I blurted out my coffee this morning when I read about it, my phone was going crazy.
“Whether there’s any substance to it I really can’t tell you. We’ll know more in the week. But as I keep stressing it’s not really about me, I’m delighted for the club itself.”
Henry was part of Roberto Martinez’s coaching staff that helped Belgium finish third in this summer’s World Cup – their best ever finish at the tournament.
And, following on from that success, Henry is seeking his first managerial role, with Aston Villa’s new owners reportedly keen on the 123-cap former French international.
But Bruce, who is now managing his eighth club, refused to be too drawn on the links to Henry.
He instead chose to praise the new owners and the excitement they are bringing to the club, saying: “If you buy Aston Villa you’ve got to have deep pockets and it looks as if these guys have that. Let’s embrace it. For the football club, this is fantastic news.
“Since last summer we’ve been papering over the cracks, yet we ended up one game away from the Premier League. I hope I’m given the opportunity.”
Villa lost 1-0 to Fulham in the Championship play-off final having finished fourth in the league.
Egyptian multi-billionaire Nassef Sawiris bought a controlling stake in the troubled Championship club on Friday, from Chinese chairman Dr Tony Xia. London-based Sawiris, the richest Egyptian in the world with a net wealth of £5billion, is now pondering a change in the Villa Park hot-seat.
It opens the door for Arsenal legend Henry, who quit his £2million-per-yearSky pundit role at the start of this week, citing his wish to “fulfil my long-term ambition to become a football manager”.
Henry, 40, is the Gunners’ all-time leading goalscorer. He has been working as an assistant to Roberto Martinez with the Belgium national team, helping them finish third at this summer’s World Cup.
Bruce and his staff have been in the dark on their futures as the investment was handled by the money-men. They are preparing the team for Saturday’s friendly away to League One side Burton.
Xia has opted to sell around 55 per cent of the club to Sawiris and Fortress Investment Group co-founder Wes Edens.
Henry’s former Arsenal team-mate Robert Pires backed him up for the job saying the world cup winner is ready to manage a Premier League club now he has left Sky Sports.
“I’m very happy he left Sky,” Pires said. “I sent him a message yesterday saying ‘finally, you left’. Not because he’s not a good pundit but I know Thierry.
“He’s ready. Now he can focus on the new job, on being a manager. “I hope he finds the right club in the UK. He loves the Premier League, for the spirit, the competition, the big clubs. I don’t know if a chairman will give Thierry the opportunity but he will be a good manager.
“During the World Cup he was assistant to Roberto Martinez and did very well. If you ask all the Belgian players all of them, especially Lukaku, they say they learned from Thierry every day.