July 04, (THEWILL) – The managerial vacancy at the London-based English Premier League side Crystal Palace has been filled in the latest coach appointment in the EPL after the club confirmed the appointment of Patrick Vieira as its new manager for the next three seasons on Sunday.
The 45-year-old manager returns to the Premiership after his last managerial appointment where he led the French side Nice to a fifth-placed finish in the pandemic-enforced curtailed 2019/2020 campaign, as the team secured a Europa League spot for the just concluded 2020/2021 season.
The French midfielder is still considered to be one of the best players of his generation especially in terms of the ability to marshall the team’s resources from the centre of the pitch, cutting off the advance play of opposing teams, controlling ball distribution while pivoting the frontline towards attack.
He did this with the inspiring demeanour that played an integral part in the domestic success of north London side Arsenal in his time at Highbury between 1997 and 2005 under then manager and fellow Frenchman Arsene Wenger. In that time, they won three Premier League titles and four F.A. Cups in one of the most productive periods of the Gunners’ history of top flight football.
Vieira’s dedication to the game and the zeal he brought to his performances saw him represent Arsenal in 396 appearances and was a part of the glorious invincibles class that went through an entire season unbeaten. He gained recognition for his display as well. The midfielder was worthy to be named in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year for six consecutive years of his time in the EPL.
When Vieira left north London for Turin, he spent a season with former Serie A champions Juventus before switching to rivals Inter Milan, where he copped up a collection of more title, adding three Serie A titles and two Supercoppa Italiana cup triumphs to his rack.
One more followed when he returned to England to play for Manchester City. There he helped the Cityzens win the FA Cup before 2011 when the talented and well decorated Frenchman decided to call time on what was a remarkable playing career.
For the 12-year period of his senior career, Vieira was capped more than 100 times for Les Bleus as he laced his boots for the French national team for matches that included several spells as team captain and triumphs such as winning the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and UEFA European Championship in 2000 in France’s two most glorious moments of recent.
When his active playing days were over, Vieira made the transition into a manager with a start at Manchester City’s Academy. There, under the arrangement he entered, Vieira embarked on a four-year apprenticeship in management that included a spell managing the club’s Elite Development Squad at the Etihad.
The budding manager left City to take up the managerial position at New York City F.C in the United States of America in 2016. NYCFC had finished 17th the season prior to Vieira’s arrival in the Major League Soccer. He turned that around and led them to second place in the Eastern Conference in his first season, while finishing fourth place in the overall standings.
It improved slightly the following season, another second place position in the Eastern Conference was secured but with the added bonus of ending overall league runners-up at the season’s end.
He carried that experience back to his home country as he returned to France in 2018 after two years in the MLS. In the Ligue 1, Vieira took over Nice and led the club to secure a seventh place finish in his first season. It was one position higher than where they finished before he took over. He went two steps up in the difficult pandemic year of 2019/20, helping them qualify for Europa with a fifth finish.
This antecedence was partly the cause of the optimism of Steve Parish, club Chairman, about what their new coach can accomplish in the EPL: “I’m delighted and excited that Patrick has agreed to join Crystal Palace as our manager following successfully learning his trade at the City Group, and experiencing positive managerial spells at New York City and then Nice, who he led to the Europa League.
“We have a lot to do to prepare in the coming weeks and I look forward to working closely with Patrick and Dougie in bringing in some new faces to help us all to a successful season.”
On his part, Vieira returns with excitement to the league of most his renown, this time as manager. He said: “I am really excited to have this opportunity to return to the Premier League, and manage this great football club, as we begin a new chapter together.
“It is a project that is really appealing to me, having spoken a lot with the Chairman and Sporting Director about their ambition and plans for the whole club, including the Academy. The club has fantastic foundations in place after many years in the Premier League, and I hope we can make further improvements and continue to drive the club forward.
“I am also very excited to experience the atmosphere the club’s supporters make at Selhurst Park and away from home too, and I know just how important that can be for the team.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
