Crystal Palace have stopped their managerial search ahead of the 2021/22 season. The club announced former Gunner, Patrick Vieira, as their new gaffer for the new season and beyond.
Crystal Palace’s chairman, Steve Parish, was excited to publish the appointment of Patrick Vieira. The Eagles handed the former OGC Nice manager a three-year contract that would see him stay at Selhurst Park until 2024.
Steve Parish said:
"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(Via: Crystal Palace)"
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The former Arsenal legend hung up his boots at the end of the 2010/11 season. Soon after his retirement as a player, Man City hired him as a football development executive at the Etihad.
From England, he left for America and enjoyed some time in the MLS with New York City FC, who appointed him as the head coach in January 2016.
Vieira was largely successful in the United States as he managed the side for two-and-a-half years. He averaged 1.58 points per match in 90 games for the New York City club.
Patrick Vieira’s next adventure was in France when he was appointed as the manager of OGC Nice.
Under Lucien Favre’s tutelage, Nice finished eighth in the 2017/18 season. Following this and under the guidance of their then-new manager, Vieira, Nice finished seventh on the Ligue 1 points table. In the 2018/19 season, OGC Nice finished as high as fifth in Ligue 1 and secured a Europa League qualification for the season thereafter.
However, OGC Nice sacked Patrick Vieira in December 2020 as the team endured a tough run and lost five successive games across all competitions and were ultimately eliminated from the Europa League.
For Crystal Palace, Roy Hodgson announced his departure from Selhurst Park and his retirement from football as a manager. Pundits and journalists linked the club with the likes of Frank Lampard, Eddie Howe and Scott Parker but it was Vieira who signed on the dotted line.
Vieira will have a set of challenges to face before the season kick starts at Selhurst Park. One of the star players, Wilfried Zaha wants a move away from the club and the new manager has to deal with it. Also, he has to face the consequences of Eberechi Eze’s injury as well.
The talented playmaker is out for at least five months and had played a crucial role in Palace’s 2020/21 season. Also, a set of star players like Jeffrey Schlupp, Patrick van Aanholt, Andros Townsend and Mamadou Sakho are out of contracts as well. He will have to sort out this as well.
How will Patrick Vieira do as a manager in the Premier League? Will he succeed with the Eagles or fail in taking them to new heights on their new journey?