New York City FC have confirmed that Patrick Vieira will take over as head coach in January.
The ex-Gunner, 39, will leave his Academy role at Manchester City to take up the position at Yankee Stadium replacing the recently sacked Jason Kreis.
Most of Vieira’s squad are low-profile American chaps, however, ‘La Grand Saucisse’ will get to work his managerial magic on decorated duo Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo.
New York City FC have just completed their inaugural season in the MLS after Manchester City and baseball giants New York Yankees joined forces to cover the $100 million cost of launching the franchise.
In a statement that reads like it was penned by a plush PR agency, Vieira ‘said‘:
“I am delighted to take up the role of head coach of New York City FC. To work with this squad, with Claudio Reyna and Rob Vartughian and the fantastic support team that is in place, is an exciting prospect for any coach.
“This established football set up, together with a passionate and loyal fan base, located in a special city which I know well, makes for an unparalleled opportunity that I am delighted to seize with both hands. I cannot wait to get started.”
Best of luck to Patrick, we’re pleased he’s finally (sort of) turned his back on City and trust he finds the Big Apple to his tastes. Best get Fat Frank doing a few extra star jumps.
We’ll be curious to see how he gets on…it’s an unusual first step on the road to becoming Arsenal boss.
Good move for him, I’m sure he has a lot to learn. He has a chance (he must have learnt from Arsene and he was captain, so has some leadership qualities). But it is tough to succeed and few are ever going to get to Arsenal/Arsene’s level.
Good luck to him.
His leadership qualities are the very reasons he wasn’t brought back when available. One clever Emperor is Arsene
Future Man-City manager in training…
not sure why this was thumbed down because NY FC’s parent club is Man City. I guess we don’t want him coaching that lot…
Yeah, find the comment about “turning his back on City” odd, this is a move clearly initiated by City hire ups.
Sorry to say guys, but Vieira isn’t ours anymore, City have claimed him as theirs, and this is their move to make him a future City manager ala Guardiola.
Let’s wait until he’s managed a single game before we bemoan it as opportunity missed.
Curious to see how he evolves, and what (if anything) he uses from Arsene’s philosophy.
Plus, he is a No Bullshit man. He wouldn’t hesitate benching Lampard if he doesn’t perform. I see him as a future Selectionneur of Les Bleus.
Really dislike Vieira’s relationship with City. I know there was a lot of controversy around Arsenal for a while as to whether or not we had actually offered him a position at the Club, whether that’s as a coach or not, or in any sort of role. But his willingness to still hang around City even though he was only there for a year really doesn’t feel right to me. Never really liked that in TV interviews recently he’s even referred to City as ‘we’ … sort of made me feel a bit sick. He was a terrific player for… Read more »
I think Wenger made him pay for his quite rowdy way of expressing his desire to leave Arsenal for Real at one point when he was with us.
Or maybe he just doesn’t have what takes. Just because he was a very good footballer doesn’t mean that will translate to being anything as a coach.
And what exactly has he achieved at City with his youth and u-21 roles? Id be grateful if someone could provide facts rather than parroting PR guff from City’s stooges in the media.
At last someone speaks some sense.
It’s abundantly clear that Wenger is no fool. If he thought Vieira was such a potentially outstanding coach it’s unlikely he would’ve let him go.
I wonder whether the people bemoaning him not being with us are the same that wanted Tony Adams in our coaching setup?
Being a great player for Arsenal is no guarantee of being even a reasonable coach never mind great coach!
Be interesting to see how he does – clearly held in high regard by City. Would love to see him back at some point.
Would you forgive him if he came back to Arsenal for his Man City stint?
Hasn’t he kind of dissed us recently? As in we offered him a job in the youth academy but he went to city? Doesn’t sound like he wants arsenal to have any part in his future
This.
Entirely possible City had a better offer for him- we’ve got most of the “top” positions filled, as far as coaching and development goes, and while he was a phenomenal player who looks to have a bright management career ahead of him, he’s young (in those terms) and untried. City is still setting things up- it’s believable that they offered him a higher position sooner.
And they’ve got an MLS club he can go train at.
Thierry Henry is happy with not starting as the ultra uber hyper boss of everything.
he starts humbly and will go from there.
Vieira is a mercenary, Henry is a romantic – thus is ever was.
i wonder if he is bitter about how his time at the club ended. He was basically shoved out the door by arsene when his legs started to go.
Are you serious?!
He held the club to ransom every summer for 3 seasons to get his transfer to Real Madrid and was far from a loyal player for Arsenal!
While Patrick was a super fantastic player for Arsenal, people seem to be forgetting that for many years, before he actually left, the summertime drama was where he would play next year. He clearly had much to do with those rumors. So while it is perfectly reasonable to appreciate him for his great playing, a loyal Arsenal man is is not and never really was
May Patrick become king of the Big Apple.. Always will be a Goooner!
He is a player who played for Arsenal once. And on several occasions threatened to clear off when a better offer came. Before finally doing just that. Let’s not put heart before head.
Personally I don invest emotional capital in forme players. They’re not gods. Just flawed, venal people like the rest of us.
Well, don’t be too pleased he’s left City yet….NYC FC is City’s sister club apparently, ie., same owners….so this might just be finishing school before he joins the senior team. It’s a shame we haven’t made more of an effort for a club legend like him to be at the Grove. Or maybe we have, who knows, it’s sad to see him turn out for the oil merchants regardless.
Don’t want to see Arsenal fans boo Vieira if he comes to Emirates with the senior bunch of Man City, one day.
Boo him only if all thats being said is truly facts, not likely speculations. That would be wise, but the only way we would know is if Arsene talked about it.
Seems blogs has a special likeness for the guy. How is this news relevant to us(The Arsenal), I don’t know? He works for shitty for crying out LOUD!
Maybe because Viera was a major reason why we were for a few years truly, rather than just potentially, great.
Was thinking the same thing, he WAS a great player for us…but as long as he is not involved in the club, what he does has nothing to do with US.
I think it’s newsworthy when a club legend gets his first opportunity to manage a club, especially considering the whole City ickiness.
It’s no different than announcing Garde’s avfc appointment here.
My old mans got a brand new Sierra…
…no he hasn’t. They stopped making them in 1994.
Players who truly love a club are very rare. But he did great service for us and gave us his best years, so let’s appreciate that. A lot of people have way too idealistic a view of players’ relationships with clubs.
The way I see it, he is more a citizen than a gooner.
@arsetronomy: Nothing to forgive, the guy was an absolute legend in my eyes – truly the leader of one of the best Arsenal sides we’ll ever see.
Isn’t David Villa there too? Not a bad trio, even if they are all over the hill a bit.
I think Vieira might actually be younger than Pirlo…(?)
I’m not taking away from anything he used to be for us. It’s just that he isn’t someone I look upon fondly as he moves into coaching. I will always remember him as an invincible, even if he goes full Pep on the football world
Oh I get it. Man City is the girl you practice on before you make a move on the love of your life i.e. Arsenal. Well played sir.
Patrick Vieira is a legend.
Pure and simple.
Who he’s coached after retiring from football is irrelevant. He’s never disrespected the club and for me, alongside Adams, will go down as the greatest captain we’ve ever had the fortune to grace our turf.
“together with a passionate and loyal fan base”
how can a club that played its first competitive game less than a year ago have a loyal fan base?
Let’s face it he only ever stayed at City because they were prepared to pay him (presumably over the odds) for a role which we weren’t and didn’t have. He was hardly going to stay with us as a volunteer. All this bollox about how we lost him to City and how we missed a trick, is just that – bollox. He’s chosen his path and good luck to him. Probably be managing Salford City in 3 years time.
I BLAME ARSENAL FOR NOT BUYING ALL THE THINGS!
When Cesc gets released by Chels*** for being a ___________ this season (fill in bit crap and/or revolt leader) do we allow him to train with us? Is Vieira coming back more palatable? What happens when Adebayor fancies coaching the Arsenal under 16s? Is Remi Garde going to take Villa to Europe and then take over after Arsene?
What should I eat for breakfast?
And now hopefully they’ll come to town next season so I can meet another Arsenal legend and get an autograph!
As someone who follows Major League Soccer domestically, I don’t think this is a very good move for Vieira. It honestly could prove to be a disastrous career choice. MLS operates under a maze of salary limits, acquisition rules, and squad regulations. It is deliberately designed to keep any club from becoming dominant purely by outspending others, and create parity between teams. It’s usually a real culture shock for someone of European pedigree when they realize that you can’t just spend your way out of trouble and into a championship. Instead, your success hinges on things like being able to… Read more »
Well said bro… I hope he defy the odds though. I loved the man when he was a gooner