Patrick Vieira and Manchester City was a marriage made in heaven.
Vieira, one of the finest central midfielders of his generation, may have launched his colossal legacy in the Premier League at Arsenal but his affection and admiration for City, the final destination in a revered playing career, remains to this day.
Setting the scene. The 2010s had begun and City needed leaders, heroes, mentors in the dressing room as they looked to compete once again in the upper echelons of English football.
Step forward Vieira. He may not have been at the height of his powers on the pitch but he offered something very special in the dressing room – a true ‘winning mentality’ as Roberto Mancini called it, with the powerhouse following his old boss from Inter to the Etihad in search of silverware.
“It was about bringing in players who had been successful and who could bring that to the football club,” said Vieira.
“I knew my experience could help this great football club make a step forward.
“And, of course, it was a really good period, my time here, I really enjoyed it here at City because of the group of players we had in this era, we were really close, really friendly with the good camaraderie and it was the period when the football club started to win. It was a great era and the beginning of the great times that has followed since.
“Being here at City, I could feel that things were happening. But it wasn’t just because of the players, it was also because of the structure the football club had around the team.
“You could see the foundations were in place for success.
“Of course, when you then bring in the players like David Silva, Yaya Toure, Samir Nasri that helps.
“But the success of the football club was based on an understanding that you need the support, you need to have good staff, in my words - you have the foundations before you build the house.
“You could see the environment was right and you could smell that success was really close.”
Vieira’s arrival certainly paid huge dividends, as everyone hoped it would - with the colossus inspiring those around him – even when he wasn’t in the Starting XI – as City won the 2011 FA Cup, our first major trophy in 35 years.
In fact, that was his final game as a professional footballer as he enjoyed an emotional cameo at Wembley for the final few minutes of our 1-0 win over Stoke City.
Vieira may not have been on the pitch for long that May day but Joleon Lescott, one of his teammates, called the star’s impact ‘immeasurable’.
Vieira admits he looks back at that showpiece as a key moment in the history of Manchester City because the victory fostered a belief among everyone associated with the club that the good times were returning.
“With the FA Cup, the first one in a particular era is always the most difficult one.
“This is where you start to build the belief that you can win something.
“I think winning the FA Cup gave that confidence and that belief to players, to the fans, to the football club and you send a really strong message to the competition you have around that now you have to count on City.”
En route to the final against the Potters was the small matter of a semi-final clash with neighbours and rivals, Manchester United.
United had dominated domestic football for more than 20 years but Mancini putting down his stamp during a hugely successful first season in Manchester.
Yaya Toure’s goal ended up being the difference in this Wembley derby as the Blues reached the FA Cup Final for the first time in 30 years.
Vieira thinks that particular result offered a ‘change in mood’ for those supporting City.
“It was important because you want to win and you want to send a message, especially against your rivals, United.
“City v United is a big game. And I think winning the semi-final was the shift in confidence, the shift in belief that you can finish above United now.
“When City beat United, this is where you built this momentum and when the players believed, the fans believed, nothing can stop you.
“Beating United and then winning the FA Cup final was the start, I think, of the success that City have today.
“There were many years when United was the team in Manchester, where United was winning the Premier League.
“And of course that dominance of United in the Premier League and in the City of Manchester was making the game more special for the City fans than maybe for the United fans because they were used to winning.
“But again, the semi-final was a change of mood for players and for fans, too.
“I think that’s when the fans realised that City can really compete against United.
“Since then, I think City have won the majority of the derbies – and quite comfortable at times, too. Now you’re seeing the dominance of City.”
Again, Vieira was a late substitute in that derby clash with United at the national stadium as Mancini opted for a midfield featuring the likes of Yaya Toure, David Silva and Gareth Barry.
Vieira held no grudges at not starting because he had big love and big appreciation for the players in front of him when the XI was selected.
“I knew I was closer to the end of my career than the beginning of my career,” Vieira continued.
“When you’re on the bench and you see Yaya Toure on the field, you see Gareth Barry on the field, David Silva out there, you just say to yourself ‘the best players are on the field and the manager wants to win games’.
“If I had to give you the name of a player who was underrated, I would give you Gareth Barry. No doubt.
“He was a player who was working really hard for the team. He was not doing anything fancy. But as a manager I think he was the first name you would put on the teamsheet because you knew he was always going to be seven or eight out of ten.
“He was a player that a manager would always trust. And what a lovely guy as well.
“Yaya was the engine of the team. Not just because of his quality and physicality, the power that he could bring but also the mental impact he could have on the team as well because when Yaya was good, the team was good.
“When Yaya was playing well, the team was playing well and Yaya was one of the leaders – if not the leader – of the team.
“He was the leader on the field. He may not have been vocal outside of the pitch but on the field he was the leader of that generation.
“David Silva? He was class, simple as that.
“I didn’t play long with him but, for me, he was the team player.
“I think David Silva would want others to shine more than him. He was the Dennis Bergkamp of City.
“He would want to please his teammates more than he would want to please himself.
“Dennis was like that. He would prefer to assist rather than score the goal because he enjoyed that more.
“David gave a lot to his team rather than worry about himself. He was a team player.”
After the jubilation of defeating United and then finishing the job in the final at Wembley in front of 88,643, Vieira decided that time was up on his illustrious playing career that had seen him win four Premier Leagues, five FA Cups, three Community Shields, five Serie A, one Supercoppa Italiana as well as the World Cup and European Championships with France.
Vieira stresses he was ‘in the right place at the right time’ at City when the time was right to hang up his boots, calling it a ‘gift’.
“It was really an easy decision because of the injuries I had in the last couple of years and because of the level of players I was surrounded by,” Vieira continued.
“That made me understand ‘it’s time to retire’.
“To retire here was a gift for me because that opened the door for me to spend two years here as an ambassador, to really understand what I could do and also what I wanted to do.
“I was at the right place at the right time at City because at the time here was Garry Cook and after that Brian Marwood but even following that with Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain, they opened the doors for me to really understand what I wanted to do because they felt my experience could be valuable for the football club because the football club was growing at the time.
“So I decided to do my badges, I worked as an ambassador for two years and I learned a lot about myself and that’s when I decided to go into management because Brian Marwood believed it was something I could be good at.
“I spent time in the Academy and then taking charge of the EDS was a really, really good experience, playing in the UEFA Youth League and coaching some very talented young players, that was a really good experience for me and the start of my new career.”
After working at the CFA with both the Under-18 and the EDS sides, Vieira moved to New York City – a fellow CFG club – to manage in the MLS.
New York improved their position in each of his years with the club, moving up from 17th prior to his arrival in 2015 to fourth in his first season in 2016 and then to second in 2017.
Following that, he had a spell back in France with Nice before taking over as boss of Crystal Palace where, over the course of two seasons at Selhurst Park, he came up against Pep Guardiola, a manager he happily admits is the ‘best in the world.’
“He is the best. Yes, of course. There is no doubt about it” he continued.
“When you look at the football that City practice and the football that City play, you have to say Pep is the best.
“It’s not just about one year or two years, it’s about year after year the quality of football, the players going and the players coming but the philosophy is still the same.
“If you like football, I think you will like to watch Manchester City.
“Rivalries aside, every fan in England and around the world will love to watch Manchester City. You know that you will enjoy watching the match. That’s something that makes Pep unique.
“You can be a fan of another club but if you’re watching City play, you enjoy what you see. That’s down to the manager. There’s no doubt he is the best in the world.”
Vieira is now plying his trade as manager of Racing Strasbourg in Ligue 1 but it’s not stopped him keeping across the 2023/24 title race between his former clubs, City and Arsenal.
He's thoroughly enjoyed watching the fight for honours and hailed the achievement of the Blues in emerging with Four-in-a-Row in the Premier League.
“In one way I am surprised because it is so difficult to win the title four times in a row.
“When I was at Arsenal we didn’t manage to win it twice in a row, back-to-back. So that shows how difficult it is.
“Sometimes when you win, people take it for granted and think it’s normal. But take it from me, it’s a massive achievement.
“And there is nothing easy and nothing simple in football. When you have that success with the Treble and then winning Four-in-a-Row that shows the quality of the people at the football club, the quality of the football club, the solidity, how this football club is strong because success comes with hard work and good people to build the project.
“When you have all these aspects, as City do, you have much more chance of success.”
As for the gallant Gunners, who finished runners-up to City in the Premier League title race, falling short by two points over the course of 38 games?
“To be honest, I felt sorry for Arsenal because they had a really good season and I really enjoyed watching them,” Vieira added.
“They played some really good football. They have some really good talent and the problem for Arsenal was City.
“If City had a bad season, Arsenal would win the league.
“Arsenal are very strong defensively. Up front, they have some really good players and they played fantastically well.
“I watched some of their games and they were unbelievable.
“Arsenal closed the gap and it will be even more interesting next season if they can keep that momentum. I think they will be challenging City.”
For now, City are top of the pile, following up the Treble in 2022/23 with Four-in-a-Row in 2023/24, leading to the mighty moniker of ‘History Makers’.
Vieira knows all about signatures for sides, having been captain in the famous ‘Invincibles’ – Arsenal ending the 2003/04 Premier League campaign as champions without a single defeat.
But what of City’s ‘History Makers’ v Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ in their prime?
“I will let people discuss that one and talk about it because I don’t like to compare teams from different generations,” Vieira laughed.
“When I was at Arsenal we achieved something really special.
“When you manage to win four trophies in succession that’s something really special as well.
“So I don’t want to say one is better than the other one but what City achieved with the Treble and then the Four-in-a-Row, especially in the modern game where you play more matches, that makes it really quite special.
“It’s an unbelievable achievement. But at this football club, it’s not just about the trophies, it’s about the quality of the football they play as well.”
Words by Paul Brown. Design by Izzy Rendell.
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