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Petke and Henry Clash at Training

But is it anything?

We had to go way back for this pic...
We had to go way back for this pic...
Mike Stobe

Details are scant, but Kristian Dyer over at Big Apple Soccer is reporting Mike Petke and Thierry Henry got into a fight at practice, having to be separated by the coaching staff.

Reportedly, they met post-game to try and clear the air, but no word on whether or not they did and no one was keen on commenting on the matter.

This could be a big story: Coach and star player get into it, alienating the star which leads to a downward spiral where the star won't play for the coach and it's either the coach goes or the star goes.

But, more likely, it's frustration brought on by poor form, causing two hot heads to go at it.

We all know the Red Bulls aren't playing well and that Henry hasn't scored in more than a month -- he finally got on the score sheet for the first time in a long time Sunday, assisting on Dax McCarty's late goal -- and that Saturday is a pivotal game if the Red Bulls are to mount something that resembles a Supporters' Shield push.

And everyone knows the two are hot heads. Petke is prone to outbursts (just watch his post-game pressers after a loss) and Henry can be petulant at times (just watch Red Bulls fans flip out over his Gallic shrugging). Athletes get frustrated when they don't perform, just ask all the broken bats, hockey sticks, tennis rackets, etc. about that.

Put it all together and you see how this kind of thing happens. And it does from time to time when you put two people who run hot in the same room in certain conditions.

Moving forward, it all depends on whether or not the two are the type of guys to put a fight behind them, make up and move forward.