Arsene Wenger was right to make Thierry Henry choose between a coaching role at Arsenal and his work as a television pundit, according to former Gunners midfielder Remi Garde.
Ex-Gunners striker Henry, 38, worked with forwards in Arsenal's youth ranks last season and was offered the chance to coach the under-18 side for the upcoming campaign.
However, Arsenal manager Wenger, 66, demanded that Henry give up his big-money job as an analyst with Sky Sports in the UK in order to take up a new role with last season's Premier League runners-up.
Henry refused and Garde, who Wenger brought to Arsenal in 1996, said that the veteran coach was right to highlight a conflict of interest.
"I understand Arsene's decision because it seems difficult to me to reconcile the two jobs," Garde told L'Equipe. "This mix of genres could quickly lead to ambiguous situations that make everyone feel uncomfortable.
"There are already enough tensions that crop up during the season that a manager cannot control. It's better to avoid those that you can anticipate."
Garde, 50, sought Wenger's advice before becoming manager of Aston Villa last November. The Frenchman left the position in March, shortly before Villa were relegated from the Premier League.