Vieira: I’ll be judged on how much NYCFC wins
IT’S easy to understand the fanfare surrounding Patrick Vieira’s appointment as New York City FC’s head coach. The 39-year-old was a decorated midfielder at the highest levels of soccer, winning the World Cup with France in 1998; three Premier League titles and four FA Cups during a nineyear spell at Arsenal; three Serie A titles with Inter Milan; and another FA Cup with Manchester City, for whom he had managed the Elite Development Squad since 2013.
The former midfielder knows better than most that success is measured by trophies, and that won’t change as he prepares for his first stint as the coach of a senior team.
“People judge you by what you won,” Vieira said Wednesday at Yankee Stadium during his introductory press conference.
His predecessor, Jason Kreis, was initially judged for such success. He was believed to be an excellent fit for an expansion club given his 11-plus years as an MLS player who immediately transitioned into coaching Real Salt Lake, whom he led to an MLS Cup title in 2009 in just his third season as a coach. However, Kre- is was fired by NYCFC in November after just one disappointing 10-17-7 season in which the club missed the playoffs. Kreis only had European stars Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo for 10 and 13 games, respectively.
Given the quick hook on Kreis, there will be pressure on Vieira to have immediate success with NYCFC’s high-priced roster, though sporting director Claudio Reyna didn’t want to declare specific expectations.
“I think we both want to succeed as soon as possible, but we al- so are aware there’s a lot of work to be done,” Reyna said. “I think we have to focus on ourselves. The first thing we’ve done is to strengthen the team, and we’ll continue to do that over the next couple of weeks. We don’t want to come out and make any crazy bold predictions, but we’re confident with the team we have there will be improvement in the way we play, and the overall unity and togetherness of the club.”
Vieira will be afforded a luxury Kreis didn’t have, with Lampard and Pirlo training with the club from the start of the preseason and set to play a full season along with Spanish star David Villa, whose 18 goals last season were fourth-most in MLS.
Lampard and Pirlo were players Vieira encountered often during his days playing in England and Italy. Along with Villa, all three have won prestigious trophies at both the club and international level.
“I think they are winners, and that’s why they will have a massive part to play in our success,” Vieira said. “They are here to bring experience and they still want to win silverware.”
As for his new team’s style of play, Vieira wants it to be an embodiment of the city.
“New York is very lively,” he said. “(People are) full of energy in this city, and I would like my team to reflect what New York is all about.”