Patrick Vieira - from Midfielder to Manager

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After nearly 5 years at the Etihad Stadium under various different roles, the time has come for the former Arsenal man to leave Manchester City in the hope of managing a Premier League side of his own.

The former France captain is well thought of at City and ideally the club would wanted him to stay, but with Manuel Pellegrini firmly in the managers hot seat Vieria looks elsewhere to forge his career in management.

Although he has now left his role at Man City, the Frenchman is still not going to rush a decision, "I will take my time making this decision. I know the next move is massive for me and I have to get it right. I appreciate that my lack of managerial experience may count against me but I hope my standing in the game and willingness to learn and work hard will allow someone to give me the chance I need".

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"I hope to start as high as possible, ideally in the Premier League. But we will see what comes. I am quite happy to wait until the right offer comes my way, even if that means waiting until the new year".​
 
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Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has this morning confirmed that the club have parted company with manager, Steve McClaren who has left the club with immediate effect.

McClaren only took charge in the summer and has overseen just 14 Premier League games, where the club has only picked up 10 points and only 2 wins.

Ashley confirmed the news by making a brief appearance with the media this morning "I like Steve and really thought he'd do well for us this season but sadly the results just haven't been up to scratch for this football club".

"I didn't think the players were playing for Steve anymore and really felt that we need a change".

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McClaren's reign got off to a good enough start with a 1-0 win over newly promoted Norwich. But from then the clubs form dipped dramatically. They then went 10 games without a win until their 1-0 success over Arsneal at the beginning of last month.

SkyBet immediately opened a market for McClaren's successor and have installed Nigel Pearson, Harry Redknapp and Patrick Vieira as the early favourites.

Assistant manager, Paul Simpson has been placed in temporary charge until a successor is found. However with Newcastle playing Everton on Saturday and a further 5 games during this month, it is vital the new manager is named quickly.​
 
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Newcastle have confirmed the appointment of former Arsenal midfielder, Patrick Vieira as manager.

Vieira replaces Steve McClaren who lasted less than 6 months in the role and was sacked last week due to poor form.

Vieira takes over the club in 19th position with just 2 wins all season, although they did earn a well deserved point again Everton under the watchful eye of interim manager Paul Simpson.

Vieira briefly spoke to the press as he arrived at the training ground to meet the players for the first time.

"I'm delighted to be give this opportunity to manage such a wonderful football club. The team haven't been performing of late but I know their capable of it, we now have to prove this".

Vieira was in the frame to take over in the summer before McClaren was given the job but he wasn't keen on talking to the media about this. "It's true I went in for the position in the summer and was interviewed but for whatever reason it didn't happen. The board have ensured me that I am their man and I'm the right man to keep the side in the division".​
 

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So, after being appointed Newcastle manager I soon realised there was a lot of work to be done!
A quick look over their recent results tells its own story:

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As you can, not a lot of green there! Newcastle recorded on 3 wins under McClaren, and one of those was a penalty shootout victory over Bolton!

The 1-0 win over Arsenal gives me some kind of hope, as does the 0-0 draw with Everton in their las outing.
As you can imagine with such shocking form, the club are well and truly in a relegation dog fight:

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The club finds themselves in 19th​ place, but only 1 point off Norwich in 17th​. My concern is that after so many defeats and so few goals scored that the confidence in the squad must be so low! I need to pick them up and get the scoring again.

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This shows how bad we’ve been in front of goal this season! 4 goals scored all season in 15 games is absolutely shocking! I’ve never heard anything as bad as this before!

At least its obvious where we need to improve!​
 
That is a dreadful goal return! You've got a big job on your hands but I'm backing you to keep them up!
 
SeanKeaney said:
That is a dreadful goal return! You've got a big job on your hands but I'm backing you to keep them up!
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Its stupid mate! I've never seen anything like it haha. It works out as a goal every 337 minutes!

Thanks for backing me, not as confident myself though haha :)
 
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After being thoroughly depressed by looking at the league table and recent results I thought I’d look at the current squad to see what I’ll be working with:

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Looking at the squad gives me some confidence that we’re in a false position and are easily capable of getting out of this mess.

Moussa Sissoko, Daryl Janmaat, Georginio Wijnaldum and Tim Krul look to be the best players in the squad and the players who care capable of really winning a game for us. Especially Sissoko and Wijnaldum who both look quality and capable of being the focal point of the team.​
 
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After having a brief look into the squad, I needed to assess every player in order to know the line-up for my first game, against Crystal Palace in just 2 days time.

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It’s fairly obvious here that Tim Krul will be my first choice keeper. My only problem is that he’s currently injured for 5 weeks which means Karl Darlow will be handed an opportunity until Krul comes back. Rob Elliot looks very average but okay for a third choice keeper, I’m hoping I won’t have to rely on him this season.



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There looks to be a couple of decent options here with Favricio Coloccini first choice center back and current captain. My concern with Coloccini is his form this season, an average rating of just 6.54 makes me wonder if he’s capable of playing at this level anymore.

Chancel Mbemba will probably partner him as the rest of the options look pretty poor. Mbemba looks to have decent potential (potential 5 star) but I worry if he can handle it straight away, especially in a relegation battle.
Steven Taylor and Mike Williamson again look really average but are okay to have on standby. I don’t think the fans would appreciate me getting rid of Steven Taylor anyway after being at the club for 12 years now.

Daryl Janmaat has made the right back slot his own and is of only a couple of players who shouldn’t be too disappointed with his form this season, although I think he’s capable of much much better.

Massadio Haidara challenges Paul Dummett for the left back slot and I think Haidara wins the battle, although this will be a position to improve come the end of the season.


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Midfield looks to be our best position! Colback, Wijnaldum, Sissoko, Anita and Tiote will all challenge for the central midfield roles, although both Wijnaldum and Sissoko could play out wide if needs be.

Florian Thauvin, Sylvain Marveaux, Gabriel Obertan and Rolando Aarons will all challenge for the wide positions.
Thuavin looks to be a really good player and can still improve further.

Marveaux doesn’t look good enough to remain at the club and was transfer listed before I arrived, I cant see me changing this either.

Obertan is like a lot of players in the squad, bang average! I hope not to rely on him much but is decent enough to have on the bench.

Rolando Aarons doesn’t look ready either, he’s currently out on loan so I’ll review his position more at the end of the season. After looking at all the wide players, the right wing position is well and truly up for grabs!



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We also have a couple of decent options up-front but again, no seems brilliant and they are seem much of a muchness.

Ayoze Perez and Aleksandar Mitrovic are the two standout candidates for the strikers role. Both look good players who are still young and can improve hugely, Perez seems to be ahead of Mitrovic at the minute though.
Cisse and Riviere are the other two strikers offering competition, however both look poor and both are transfer listed before my arrival. I can see why!

Gouffran is the other option who can either play up-front or out wide. Once again, he looks decent but nothing special. A place on the bench is probably all he’s good for.

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Really good start mate!

Well for the story, not for Newcastle :p

4 goals is crazy haha!
 
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So 48 hours at the club and it already felt like we had a massive mountain to climb to get out of the bottom three. My only hope is the next few fixtures are fairly favourable:

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We start with 3 very winnable games, at home to Palace, away to Leicester and home to Watford. All three of these are in the bottom half and winnable, get either 7 or 9 points here and the table will look totally different.

Southampton, Watford (again) and Norwich are also winnable, although Southampton will probably be the toughest.

The league table really could look a whole lot different after this run of games.

Alternatively, if we lose a few of them then it could also sink us to bottom of the league and make our chances of survival slim to none.​
 
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So, I've been with the squad 2 days now and I have to prepare them for a tough game against Crystal Palace! I don't know the players very well at all, I don't even know all their names, but I have to get a squad ready for the 3pm kick off.

This is a real chance to pick up points, Palace are currently 12th but haven't won in 4 and are dropping down the league like a stone.
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I'd been up all night arguing myself who I'm going to start and in what formation!

After being up all night, I finally decided to go with this:
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The back 5 really picks itself due to the lack of competition for places. Its was the midfield and forward position I struggled to decide on, as well as the formation.

I've decided to go with a very attack minded 4-4-2 with both wingers supporting the attack! Sissoko and Thauvin on either wing will be encouraged to go forward as much as possible.

Mitrovic and Perez also start up-front together for the first time this season. I feel this is needed to try and get some goals and attacking momentum in the side!

4 goals all season really isn't good enough and needs to be sorted!

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With the starting 11 sorted and the lads informed, all that was left before the game was my very first team-talk!

Right then lads, I see this as a very winnable game here. Palace are in shocking form, almost as bad as ours!

But they'll not be looking forward to playing us today!

I want us to go out there and enjoy ourselves and really concentrate on attacking them. I don't want the back 4 to go forward too much as we need some protection at the back.

I want us to get the ball up to the strikers as quick as possible and utilise the wide men. Get Sissoko involved in the game, he's a real match winner but hasn't shown it yet this season!

Lets go at them, be aggressive and don't be afraid to get the ball forward quickly.

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That was it, I just had to hope that the players performed and took on board everything they've been told in the last few days or so ...

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Well I guess it did the trick!

A brilliant 3-1 win at home against a mid-table side lacking in form.

The lad's obviously took on board what I said about being more attacking as Ayoze Perez scored his first of the season after just 6 minutes.

Florian Thauvin then doubled the lead 15 minutes late it 2-0. We then held out at 2-0 until half time. I was trilled with the lads but was conscious how easily Palace could get back into it, I just wanted to see the same again in the second half.

And that's exactly what I got, Mitrovic repaying me with his first of the season to make it 3-0! We were in dreamland, it was a dream debut.

Palace got one back before the hour mark after Patrick Bamford wasn't picked up from a corner and finished well past Darlow.

Our life was made easier 2 minutes later after Scott Dann was sent off for a foul on Perez. In truth I though the sending off was a bit harsh but I wasn't complaining.

We easily saw the victory out playing against 10 men.

We played brilliantly as a team but Georgino Wijnaldum, Thauvin and the two lads up-front looked particularly good!

Man of the match

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Rating: 8.5

Goals: 0

Assists: 2​
 
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The next game saw us take our first away trip, to Leicester!

Leicester are similar to Palace and are in 13th spot but have lost their last 2 games now. This was another winnable win game.
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And win we did!

A great 2-1 win against a very decent side.

Once again we got off to a brilliant start, Mitrovic continuing his good form by scoring again after just 8 minutes.

A defensive mistake then allowed Leicester back into it. Karl Darlow misread a cross from Danny Simpson which looped over his head and into the far corner! It was a real goalkeeping error.

We were still playing well and creating decent chances.

The just after the hour mark, Moussa Sissoko pulled us back infront to make it 2-1. It was a real powerful run out wide, he then cut inside and finished brilliantly into the near post.

Leicester created a few late chances in what turned out to be a very close game, but we stood firm at the back and ran out 2-1 winners to make it 6 points out of 6!​


MAN OF THE MATCH:

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Rating: 8.3

Goals: 1

Assists: 0​
 
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After the win against Leicester I felt brilliant, the squad was full of confidence and I really felt like we can drag ourselves away from the relegation zone.

I was sat in my office watching the replay of the Leicester game when I heard a knock on my door.

In came Moussa Sissoko, the hero from the Leicester game. I was just watching his performance against Leicester and thinking what a player he is.

My mood suddenly changed though when I saw the look on his face ... I knew something was up.

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Wow! What a bombshell that was!

Typical footballer I though, 1 good game for me and he wants to move straight after! I can see where he's coming from though, Liverpool are 6th and challenging for a Champions League place.

I was desperate to keep hold of his though. Him and Georginio Wijnaldum are absolutely vital for us to stay up this season.

I asked him to give me some time to make my mark on the team and see how far of the European places we are then. Personally I think we're miles off even the top half but Moussa bought it and agreed to stay.

At the bare minimum I'll have him until the end of the season!​
 
Good start mate, will follow...oh, wait, no, no, no I mustn't otherwise the new FM will glue me into my armchair. :(
 
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Just after Moussa has been to see me, my assistant, Paul Simpson came to see me.

Again, it wasn't good news.

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Paul Simpson: Patrick, how are things?

Patrick Vieira: Good Paul, what can I do for you?

Paul Simpson: I've come to tell you about some injury news.

Patrick Vieira: ******* ****, who?

Paul Simpson: Aleksandar Mitrovic!

Patrick Vieira: ****, how long for? He was just coming into form as well.

Paul Simpson: The medical team think about 10 days. But with the schedule as tight as it is that could mean he'll miss the next 3 games!

Patrick Vieira: We could do without this. Thanks for telling me anyway.

This is a real blow, Mitrovic was coming into some decent form after scoring in both games I've been in charge for.

He hadn't had a look in under McClaren but he's played really well for me.

The problem we have now is who replaces him. Papiss Cisse and Emmanuel Riviere are the main candidates but neither fill me with any kind of confidence whatsoever.​
 
PaperClipFMer said:
Haha, is that a bad thing?
Click to expand...

Haha, well, it means two things:

- My social life would be in real danger.
- I would miss out on titles like AC Syndicate, SW Battlefront III, COD Black OPS3, which I'd love to play, but once I start FMing...:D
 
razielioux said:
Haha, well, it means two things:

- My social life would be in real danger.
- I would miss out on titles like AC Syndicate, SW Battlefront III, COD Black OPS3, which I'd love to play, but once I start FMing...:D
Click to expand...

It has to be the most addictive game out there. I'm really liking this years as well, big improvement I think :)
 
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