Have Arsenal slipped up by not appointing Vieira as coach?

Why not Vieira? by Dan Smith

The news that Patrick Vieira has joined Nice is an indicator that he probably would’ve been open to the idea of replacing Arsene Wenger. If Arteta was close to becoming our manager based on playing for the club and the reputation he has earned at Man City, then surely an ex captain who’s a much greater legend would’ve been on the shortlist.

For years we were told the Frenchmen was being groomed as a future City boss so clearly he is also thought of highly at the Ethiad. Reports indicated that he believed so much in the City set up that he was in no rush to leave America. Now that he has joined a mid table side In Ligue 1 will tell Gooners he was availiable if they really wanted him.

That leads to the conclusion that Ivan Gazidis simply did not believe the hype. Why he would take notice of Arteta’s development at City and not Vieira’s is uncertain. Of course at the last moment our board decided not to gamble and employ a man with more experience, all be it not a name that would’ve attracted other big clubs in the world.

Our transfer policy increasingly makes it look that our owners just wanted a yes man,someone who would accept our rivals spending 100 million more for the sake of getting a marquee job. Perhaps Vieira’s love for club meant that he would’ve demanded a chance of winning the trophies he did as a player. Even Arteta apparently questioned the 50 million spending kitty.

But if we have so little ambition, which surely Stan Kroenke has demonstrated one more time, this time without Arsene Wenger as a shield, surely it was worth at least making a romantic appointment. If five other millionares have loftier goals then at least you could’ve developed from within. The Arteta links means some powerful people were thinking along those lines. Have we just let another legend slip through our fingers.

Dan Smith