EastStandBlue
Life President
- Joined
- May 29, 2005
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- 15,519
Roberto Mancini must be feeling in a charitable mood… offering to re-home an aged war-dog like Patrick Vieira certainly caught a few people off guard.
The France captain spent the summer being linked with a return to Arsenal, and then August being touted as a shock move for Redknapp’s Spurs in a Sol Campbell-esque transfer. He now looks set to rejoin Mancini at Manchester City, a club that was more than likely eyeing a more groundbreaking signing than a player who was quite good at the beginning of the decade, but has fallen massively out of favour at his current club.
Vieira’s key strengths as a player lied within his athleticism and tenacity. He hounded his counterparts off the ball and drove his team forward from the middle of the park… A 33 year old midfielder who has barely played under Mourinho will find it incredibly hard to once again adapt to a league that has only become more vociferous since his departure. The Premier League is played at such a frightening pace that even the most sprightly of foreign imports take a season to adjust… Vieira will be donning a pair of slippers and a pipe by that time.
Whether or not this is an indication of Mancini’s transfer policy at City remains to be seen, but Vieira is more of a player that he can trust rather than one that may fulfil the needs of the football club. News of a record loss of £92.6m will bear no indication of the funds available to the newly inserted manager. Make no mistake; Mancini will have an almost bottomless pit at his disposal and the Citizens have grown accustomed to a Galacticos approach.
Three years or so ago, Vieira would’ve been the perfect signing to drive City forward. Now? He’s no more than a temporary stopgap while the club attempt to qualify for a Champions League place pivotal to their business plan.
The France captain spent the summer being linked with a return to Arsenal, and then August being touted as a shock move for Redknapp’s Spurs in a Sol Campbell-esque transfer. He now looks set to rejoin Mancini at Manchester City, a club that was more than likely eyeing a more groundbreaking signing than a player who was quite good at the beginning of the decade, but has fallen massively out of favour at his current club.
Vieira’s key strengths as a player lied within his athleticism and tenacity. He hounded his counterparts off the ball and drove his team forward from the middle of the park… A 33 year old midfielder who has barely played under Mourinho will find it incredibly hard to once again adapt to a league that has only become more vociferous since his departure. The Premier League is played at such a frightening pace that even the most sprightly of foreign imports take a season to adjust… Vieira will be donning a pair of slippers and a pipe by that time.
Whether or not this is an indication of Mancini’s transfer policy at City remains to be seen, but Vieira is more of a player that he can trust rather than one that may fulfil the needs of the football club. News of a record loss of £92.6m will bear no indication of the funds available to the newly inserted manager. Make no mistake; Mancini will have an almost bottomless pit at his disposal and the Citizens have grown accustomed to a Galacticos approach.
Three years or so ago, Vieira would’ve been the perfect signing to drive City forward. Now? He’s no more than a temporary stopgap while the club attempt to qualify for a Champions League place pivotal to their business plan.
