Today came the announcement that Premier League legend, Patrick Vieira has officially retired as a professional footballer. The lanky midfielder spent the last two seasons at Manchester City, where he will continue to stay on as the clubs ‘Football Development Executive’. The 35-year old who wasn’t a regular starter for City made 47 appearances in total with six goals to his name, 3 of which came in the clubs successful FA Cup campaign.
His new role is believed to be working with the youth set-up whilst being an ambassador for the club and with the amount of ‘winner medals’ to his name which include a World Cup and European Championship as well as a number of Premier League and Serie A trophies. City couldn’t have appointed a better candidate for this role which may have been created to keep the former French international at the club.
Whilst the English Premier League lose another familiar face to retirement, could Vieira’s former club Arsenal be rueing a missed opportunity on and off the pitch?
Despite some bad blood between the player and the club towards the latter stages of his Arsenal career, Vieira is still seen as an Arsenal legend. How crucial could it have been for the Gunners and manager Arsene Wenger, if they had beaten City to signing him at the start of 2010?
Arsenal would’ve had a player with a winning mentality and although he wouldn’t have played in many games, surely having him in the dressing room and on the training pitch would have had a resounding influence on the young Arsenal team.
Especially last season where the likes of Cesc Fabregas looked like he was carrying too much on his shoulders, a player like Vieira’s maturity on the pitch is exactly what Arsenal needed at crucial times of the season.
We all know that Arsene Wenger isn’t keen on signing players over 30, however he has shown that he is capable with the likes of Mikael Silvestre and Sebastien Squillaci, as well as the emergency signing of former goalkeeper Jens Lehmann who came out of retirement to help the Gunners out last season.
And by now, Wenger could have had Vieira on the coaching staff ready for the new season and an example of what his team of potential CAN achieve with the right guidance and belief.
Pat Rice, Wenger’s right hand man since 1997 has continued to stay on for another season despite medical issues and with the likes of Steve Bold being the only change in the coaching staff in over a decade, it’s an area that certainly needs attention.
Of course this is all too little too late, and Arsenal perhaps need more than just Vieira’s influence to help push them on, but if I was an Arsenal fan I would be kicking myself at this missed opportunity.
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Arsenal hypocrites
Whats the evidence he would make a good coach/manager? Plenty of examples of great players, cr@p managers, e.g. Alan Shearer.
And Tony Adams, and Diego Maradonna, and…….
It is City’s gain, and Arsenal’s loss. He may not be the perfect manager-material – I have no clue. But his experience is virtually second to none.
Only thing troubling me, is that he should have far more contact with the players than peripheral players and the community at large. He has the experience and so you use it (as is evident with Micah Richards).
A wise man who died in foolish man backyard. Arsene should better wakeup his ideas to avoid been refered to in the adage earlier
Who’s viera if not for wenger that signed him n brought him out from nowhere? Don’t city glory will soon run-down!!
Thanks for the replies. Of course there is no evidence that he would make a great coach/manager because he hasn’t even tried yet!
The points I were highlighting were Arsenal’s lack of leadership on the coaching and playing staff, perhaps Vieira may be a bad coach, but I am sure having his influence on the touchline would have only helped the team progress.
Why would Vieira choose to get on board the SS Emirates when it is so obviously sinking?