TalkSport pundit and former Crystal Palace chairman and owner Simon Jordan has offered his views on claims surrounding Patrick Vieira.
Recent reports have claimed that the Frenchman, stalwart of the Arsenal sides that were so dominant during the late 1990s and early 2000s, is set to take over from Roy Hodgson at Crystal Palace this summer. He would be taking on his first managerial role since his departure from Nice in December 2020 and his first senior role in English football.
If appointed, he would take over during what is a very difficult summer for the club in which they are undergoing a serious overhaul in terms of personnel. Speaking about the matter on TalkSport, Jordan seemed to hint that the deal was something of a risk to give the role to someone who goes against Palace’s identity when it comes to the managers they’ve had in recent times:
“Crystal Palace are in a state of flux. They’ve got half their playing squad out of contract, they’ve got a managerial roster that’s been pretty safe and sound, with one departure being Frank De Boer, which they rectified very quickly. But if you look at it, it’s been Allardyce, Hodgson, Pulis and Pardew – all established English Premier League managers that have been able to stabilise Crystal Palace inside the Premier League.
“This is a vast departure, and a brave one. Is it foolishly brave? Time will tell. I’d be surprised if it happens. And if it is offered to Patrick Vieira, I would imagine he’d pull their arm off at the shoulder to get a Premier League manager’s job.”
TIF Thoughts on Simon Jordan’s comments about Patrick Vieira and Crystal Palace…
Would Vieira be a good hire for Palace?
Yes
No
Jordan is right to urge some level of caution when it comes to this reported appointment if it goes through, because the task that is at hand in dealing with so many departures, plus potentially losing talisman Wilfried Zaha on top of that, would be difficult for any manager.
This isn’t to say that Vieira isn’t up to scratch to be a Premier League manager – when you look at his CV, having been groomed by Manchester City, two spells abroad with New York City & OGC Nice and an impressive playing career to build off, a bottom-half Premier League side isn’t necessarily a big jump to make.
But at this time in his career, given the job required in trying to essentially start things from scratch at Selhurst Park is a task that shouldn’t be put at the foot of someone with his level of experience.
In other news: ‘I am genuinely concerned’ – Dan Cook drops worrying Crystal Palace claim