Emmanuel Petit claimed it would be better run by the Germans…
Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit has launched a tirade against the country of his birth for their treatment of Thierry Henry, reports the Sun.
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The Frenchman claims that his countrymen should revere the striker as a hero. He accuses them of being arrogant and smug for not doing so. The 44-year-old even claims that if the Germans had taken over the country it would be “better run.”
The former central midfielder believes that the French media laid in to the Arsenal legend too much for his handball against Republic of Ireland, which got them in to the 2010 World Cup.
“In England, they’ve built a statue of Thierry. That means a lot. He’s adored there. It bothers me,” said Petit.
“France is hypocritical and cowardly. Sometimes I think that if we’d been overrun by the Germans, we’d be better run. What can we reproach Henry for? His handball against Ireland? He helped France qualify for the World Cup in South Africa. He has done nothing.
“He’s not hated but he’s certainly not loved. He got screwed by the French press after his handball and has since not spoken to the French media. In France, he has no collusion with the press, so what? Perhaps because he was not smiling when he scored for Les Bleus! Well, that’s what I hate in this country,” he continued.
“I have great difficulty with the French, I have never seen such arrogant, smug, lying and hypocritical people.”
Henry is coming towards the end of his career, and is currently getting closer to the end of his contract with New York Red Bulls. He has already stated that he will not renew it, and either a return to North London with Arsenal or a move to his home country with Paris Saint-Germain. It is expected that his decision will be revealed at some point in the next week.