Ian Wright surprised Arsenal didn't keep hold of 45-year-old, thinks the club might have 'upset' him

By Tom Avery

Ian Wright was surprised that Arsenal didn’t do more to keep Patrick Vieira at the club and part of the coaching set up.

The Frenchman left Highbury in the summer of 2005 to join Italian giants Juventus.

But the recent Premier League Hall of Fame inductee finished his playing career in England at Manchester City after retiring in July 2011.

Upon retiring, Vieira remained at the Etihad and became the Citizens’ Academy Manager before he became the club’s Under-21s manager, a role which he held for two years.

Vieira was then give his first senior management role at Manchester City’s affiliated club New York City before moving to Ligue 1 side Nice.

After 89 matches in charge of Nice, the 45-year-old left in December 2020 before taking over at Crystal Palace in July 2021.

With several experienced players leaving Selhurst Park on free transfers in the summer, Vieira has used that as an opportunity to stamp his own imprint on the squad and bring in some younger players.

The Eagles are up to ninth in the Premier League table after Monday night’s 3-0 win against Arsenal and have a FA Cup semi-final date with Chelsea at Wembley to come later this month.

But Vieira’s success as a manager and the path he embarked upon which hasn’t included Arsenal as of yet has surprised Wright.

Speaking on his ‘Wrighty’s House’ podcast, the former Gunners forward said: “I thought he would have been kept in the Arsenal bosom, under Wenger.

“He kept Bouldie in and around him and stuff like that but he didn’t keep him around and I think Patrick might have been upset by that.

“He went to play for City and I’m thinking ‘if Arsenal want me’ but they didn’t. City brought him in and said do the under-18’s, go and do New York for us, and then he went back to France.”

Steve Bould retired in September 2000 after one season with Sunderland following 11 years at Arsenal.

But he returned to Arsenal the following year and went on to be Arsene Wenger’s assistant manager for 334 games.