SOCCER / EURO 2004 COUTDOWN: Thierry Henry probably does not need his ego boosting, but the sight yesterday of Europe's press peeling away from multi-million-pound talents such as Claude Makelele, William Gallas and Louis Saha when he entered the room should have reassured him that it is not only in England and France that he is cherished.
A continent is watching Henry and he addressed it in French, English, Italian and Spanish yesterday. Before France face Croatia in their second game next Thursday Henry will probably offer his thoughts in Serbo-Croat.
Before then, of course, come England in Lisbon on Sunday night and England's double footballer of the year is ideally positioned to give Sven-Goran Eriksson some expert analysis.
He did so freely and, as well as praising Wayne Rooney, he asked a question about Frank Lampard: how can he not play? "I'm not there to pick the England team - it's not my job - but how can you leave Lampard out?" Henry said.
"I have seen him so many times this season and when people ask me who did I vote for as player of the year, I say Frank Lampard. I don't know if all the Arsenal players voted for him but I did.
"He has played in all the games and he has been outstanding. That's what people forget - it's not just the way he played, it is how many times he played well. So how can you leave him out? It's difficult.
"But please don't write that I am giving England advice. I know there is a lot of talent there. Some people think the English league is so easy, this and that, but I know there are a lot of great players there and Steven Gerrard, for example, I think he will have an amazing tournament."
Eriksson and England may consider Henry's words saccharine to be avoided, and will be more interested in the fact that David Trezeguet and Marcel Desailly trained yesterday, albeit without a ball; besides, amid Henry's compliments there was the occasional barb. Michael Owen, for instance, may not be charmed by the Arsenal striker saying he "would die" if he played like the England centre-forward.
Henry was responding to Owen's opinion that the Frenchman has taken the art of striking into a different dimension this season - and Henry's immediate response was a humble "thank you" - but Owenites could well sense something patronising about Henry's view of what Owen and his ilk do in a penalty box. Sniffing, it is called.
"I'm not trying to take things to another level," Henry said, "I just play my game. I admire Michael Owen for what he does because I cannot do that. I can't stay in the box, wait around for someone to deliver, I can't - I would die.
"I have to move around. Even if I have to drop and get the ball off the goalkeeper I would do it because I need to touch the ball and be involved in everything. That's me and if people think that's another level then fair enough.
"I don't see it that way. I admire the likes of Michael Owen, David Trezeguet, Inzaghi, Pauleta - it doesn't matter to them if they don't touch the ball. I would go even further than that - sometimes if I score and don't play well then I'm not happy.
"I get joy from scoring, yeah, but if I don't get pleasure from the game then I am not proud. Do you understand? It's strange what I'm saying, but it's true."
The truth matters to Henry, especially if it is open to interpretation. Henry has had another brilliant season at Arsenal, but Highbury was also the scene of his great European disappointment, the 2-1 Champions League quarter-final second-leg loss to Chelsea. Henry departed the scene early that night and it was written that John Terry's display had a lot to do with that. Terry is still a doubt for Sunday but if England think that the Chelsea central defender might have some psychological advantage that could speed his recovery, Henry disabused them.
"I saw it that I was marked out of the game by Terry," he said. "But I remember that when we played Chelsea I was marked by Gallas. So that makes me laugh when I hear things like that. And, sometimes, when you hear that, you have to come out and justify yourself. When I have played Chelsea, quite often it has been Gallas, but if other people want to see it the other way then so be it.
"John Terry has been at Chelsea a long time and I have scored regularly against Chelsea." Beneath Henry's sweetness, just a hint of acid. England beware.
French coach Jacques Santini has strongly hinted that he will start with the same side that beat Ukraine 1-0 last week in Paris, although there could be some modifications, especially if Trezeguet can prove his fitness.
"The team against Ukraine gives you an idea although I reserve the right to make zero to three changes," said Santini who has an unblemished record in competitive games, winning the 2003 Confederations Cup and all eight qualifiers for Euro 2004.
Saha started against Ukraine but if Trezeguet is fit that could mean that he will have to return to the bench. Another Manchester United player, Mikael Silvestre, therefore looks set to partner Lilian Thuram in central defence with William Gallas and Bixente Lizarazu in the full-back roles in the same defence that faced Ukraine.
However, Santini left the door open for a change by refusing to answer questions about who would replace Desailly as skipper if, as expected, the Chelsea defender does not make the starting line-up.
Santini explained his approach, saying: "It's based on extreme vigilance, good athletic work and paying attention to detail. It is not like being manager of a club - I have had the players together since only May 19th and time is going fast."
Guardian service
