Remy sets Henry target

Queens Park Rangers striker Loic Remy has set himself the goal of emulating Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.

The former Marseille striker joined up with Harry Redknapp at the west London club, and along with the club’s objective of avoiding relegation, and is hoping to have a big impact on the Premier League.

Remy explained to The Sun: “My family are from Martinique, he’s (Henry’s) half (Martinique), that’s where it must come from.

“The biggest compliment in 10 years would be: ‘Remy had a career like Titi Henry.’

“He’s played more than 50 matches flat out every season for 15 years, scored 51 goals for France, has an incredible record of trophies.

“For the time being I’m very far away. But you can always dream of being a big name in French football.”

Despite his dream to play like his hero, the striker admitted that he didn’t always want to be a footballer.

Remy explained: “It’s thanks to my neighbour that I became a professional.

“He used to watch my matches, he used to correct me, sometimes he’d have a go. It proved to be lucky for me. I was quite frustrated by the lack of a father.

“I had no one to pass the ball around with, no one to talk football with, who would have pushed me all the time to apply myself. I took charge of myself. That’s life.”

When the 26-year-old started at youth level with local club Lyon, the striker found it hard to keep up with Newcastle star Hatem Ben Arfa and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, despite being in the same age category.

He explained: “One day, we were playing a reserve team match and I wasn’t with it. He (Robert Valette, the youth coach) screamed at me: ‘You’re not playing in your neighbourhood here.’ Everyone heard him, and that shook me up.

“He wanted me to understand that it wasn’t a kickabout next to a block of flats – that football is serious.

“At that age I felt helpless, I let things happen. Luckily I became a totally different person. Now, after Karim and Hatem, I am the third player from the Lyon generation to become an international.”

QPR’s record signing revealed that he struggled initially on the international scene, but has since gone on to be a regular for France.

“The first time I trained with the France team in 2009-10 helped me understand what the highest level was really about. I was struck by the technical ability and the intensity. It was another dimension.

“I told myself: ‘I’m never going to last.’ When you’re facing someone like Franck Ribery, in terms of speed and concentration, you have to hold on.”