July 03, (THEWILL) – Former Crystal Palace manager, Patrick Vieira, has been appointed as the new coach of Strasbourg in the French Ligue 1, signing a three-year contract, according to an announcement made by the US-owned club.
The 47-year-old takes over from Frederic Antonetti, who was dismissed last week, after Strasbourg finished 15th in Ligue 1, narrowly avoiding relegation. Marc Keller, the Strasbourg president, was pleased with Vieira’s appointment, and said: “He corresponds to the profile we were looking for: a manager with international experience, and who also has a good knowledge of Ligue 1 and its young players.”
The change in leadership comes as Strasbourg undergo a transition in ownership, with The BlueCo consortium, led by Chelsea owner, Todd Boehly and US-based Clearlake Capital, acquiring a majority stake in the club on June 22. Vieira, a former player, with an illustrious career, having represented France 107 times and captained the national team on 21 occasions, was enthused about joining Strasbourg.
He said: “I know the history and the identity of this club, the fervour it arouses, the importance it has for its region, which is a place of football and passion. It is exciting as a coach to be able to build something while relying on the values that have defined the strength of the club.” Vieira’s previous coaching experience includes stints at New York City FC, Nice, and Crystal Palace. However, he had been without a club since being sacked by Palace in March.
During his tenure at Palace, Vieira led the team to a 12th-place finish in the 2021/2022 season but was dismissed after a 12-game winless streak and the club’s failure to register a shot on target in their last three English Premier League matches. With his appointment at Strasbourg, Vieira is eager to make an impact and build on the club’s rich history, bringing his international experience and knowledge of Ligue 1 to guide the team.
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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.
