FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — With all indications pointing toward Thierry Henry leaving the Red Bulls when his contract expires next month, the plan of building around the♛ aging French star likely ended Saturday.
The Red Bulls will likely go froꦺm trying to buy a champion to t🐼rying to build one, go from living for the day to planning for the future. Will it be a reboot or a full-on rebuild?
They earned their first trophy in last year’s Supporters’ Shield, but failed to win an MLS Cup, and that cycle ended when they los🉐t in the Eastern Conference final. Expect to see a more internally built team next season, with an American spine and academy products.
“I know exactly what I see, and I know exactly what our plan is. We talked about it leading up⛄ to this,’’ coach Mike Petke said. “We have a very good plan for the future, and it’s going to take an understanding from our fan base and an understanding from the media perhaps. We want to build something. I want to build something. And I think that we have a good idea how to do that.
“This was a four-year project [when] we count Thierry’s contract st🐟atus. Not to say he’s not coming back or anything, but his current contract, it was a four-year project. In this project we have some guys on the team who are getting on in years, so whatever our plan going forward is going to be what’s best for this organization, and it’s going to be what’s best for the club, and everybody will be on board.’’
Henry arrived in ꦯthe summer oღf 2010 on a 4 ½-year deal, followed by Mexico captain and ex-Barcelona teammate Rafa Marquez, and then Everton’s Tim Cahill.
“I🅠’ll remember the signings of Thierry Henry and — no matter what you say about him — Rafa Marquez, Tim Cahill coming in,” Petke said. “Those are huge names, those are huge players for a club like us and a city li🌳ke New York. It was a phenomenal ride, fantastic ride.”
But the ride may be over. Marquez is long gone, Henry, 37, is out of contract, telling the local media nothing and t🧸elling French newspaper L’Equipe earlier: “Nothing is cl💙ear. I still haven’t taken a decision.”
And Cahill, who turns 35 Friday 🌳and has been linked with moves to England or Australia, was coy as well.
“Who knows, mate? I’m going to have a little break with the kids, chill out, play in the Asian C🏅up and try to do well for my country,” said Cahill, claiming ignorance of Henry’s plans.
“I think, no one knows, really, do we? So, for m♐e it’s been a pleasure. We’ve had a good time, and we’ve helped deliver the first ever trophy here. I got the chance to know the legend on and off the park, and one thing ꧃I’ll say, it’s been a pleasure if he does decide to retire, ’cause I don’t know if it’s official yet.’’
No, but it sure feels that way.
“I’ve got an idea of his intention. I𓆏 think he wants to retire,” Red Bull Global Head of Football Gerard Houllier said in July. “We don’t want to spend as much as we did before [on 𒊎Henry and Cahill]. Probably we definitely need a [Designated Player], but we need to take the right person, and I think the team will go through another cycle.’’