Vieira Sun Interview: I Don't Blame Him

In fact, I sort of respect him more. We're dealing with a MAN here, and some harsh truths about our own club. The only major disagreement I have is him thinking we won't finish in the top five - that's just spilt milk over Petit turning sour. Otherwise, GVB and Jeffers were never going to make PV jump for joy as proof of Arsenal's ambition. I don't agree with his analysis, but it makes very good sense from his perspective. Perhaps Nakata, Dudek and Philips would have made a difference(probably not). At this moment in Arsenal's history, Vieira is too big for us to hold on to, just as Batistuta was for Fiorentina (or should have been if he wasn't so sentimental as to waste most of his career there). It would take a major display of spending power to convince PV that we weren't stilll trying to buy success on the cheap, and we either won't or can't provide it.

See what he says about our French guys - you have to love this man!

All the above depends on the following being true:

PATRICK: LET ME LEAVE NOW
EXCLUSIVE


By MARK IRWIN


PATRICK VIEIRA has launched a blistering attack on Arsenal, making it impossible for him to stay at Highbury.

The Frenchman has broken his silence by lashing boss Arsene Wenger, vice-chairman David Dein — and even his team-mates.

But Vieira insisted last night: "People should know this is nothing to do with money. I need to leave because I want to win more trophies and I just cannot see that happening at Arsenal. Certainly not over the next few years, anyway.

"Comparing Arsenal to the big clubs in Europe this season is going to be quite ridiculous."

Dein and his fellow directors remain adamant their £25million-rated midfielder is not for sale at any price — and that he must respect the remaining three years of his contract.

But Vieira, 25, has deliberately burned all his bridges and insists there will be no turning back in his drive to move on to bigger and better things.

Speaking from his holiday hideaway in Miami, the World Cup and Euro 2000 star stormed: "As far as I'm concerned, the matter is resolved. I am leaving Arsenal and I have made that perfectly clear.

"When I told Arsene Wenger I was leaving, he said to me 'I have £25m to spend on a few players'.

"My answer was 'Obviously, Mr Wenger, you are not shopping in Harrods. That will only buy you one good player'. Now I have been proved right."

Arsenal have already splashed £18.5m on landing Everton striker Francis Jeffers and Rangers midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

They are still in the hunt for Sol Campbell and plan further deals to capture Ipswich goalkeeper Richard Wright and Japanese midfielder Junichi Inamoto from J-League club Gamba Osaka.

Vieira, though, remains distinctly unimpressed.

He added: "Arsene Wenger has signed two 'hopeful' players who haven't proved themselves in the Premiership yet. One of them is a boy of 20.

"You can't compete with the best clubs in Europe by making these kind of signings."

Vieira believes the rot started to set in last summer — when the Gunners agreed to sell Marc Overmars and Emmanuel Petit to Barcelona in a joint £30m deal.

He added: "It's a miracle that we finished second in the league last season.

"I have said it before and I will say it again now — you don't sell your best players.

"That was why it was a miracle that we got through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

"This season Leeds, Chelsea and Liverpool will be signing new players and will be automatically stronger and better than last season.

"I do not honestly see Arsenal finishing in the top five in the league — and you can forget the Champions League.

"Arsene Wenger is an ambitious manager and he knows deep in his heart that he needs five world-class players to compete among the best in Europe.

"With £25m in the kitty, Arsenal is not a great European club. With that budget they won't even be among the top 20 clubs in Europe.

"The people at Arsenal know in the backs of their minds that they have a new stadium to build and that will hold them back when it comes to making big new signings."

Vieira, in Florida with girlfriend Sheryl and agent Marc Roger, is just as angry at the comments of Arsenal team-mates who have pleaded with him not to quit Highbury.

He rapped: "I cannot understand why players like Robert Pires, Thierry Henry, Sylvain Wiltord and Gilles Grimandi are saying I should stay. I have given 100 per cent to Arsenal over the last five years. They have only been there for a year or so.

"They have won nothing with Arsenal. They should stay and try to win things for the club before they open their mouths.

"My message to these players is that they have their lives and I have mine.

"Maybe after five years with Arsenal they will be saying the same things that I am saying now.

"Perhaps they will be talking about movement and a change of environment like me.

"But first they must prove themselves before they are entitled to a move. They haven't produced anything for Arsenal yet.

"I will join a club that has the same ambitions as me — a club that is going to win everything.

"That is why I ask Pires and Grimandi and the rest of the Arsenal players to be quiet, mind their own business and respect Patrick Vieira's ambitions and decisions."

Vieira is upset at attempts to blame his agent for manufacturing a move in order to pocket £3.5m in commission.

And he claims the club have a "two-faced" attitude to the transfer market.

He added: "Arsenal are no different to any other club when it comes to the transfer process. When they don't want a player, they will make contact with other clubs and try to sell him.

"This summer they are going to do exactly that. I know they are trying to sell one of the best players in the world.

"So I find it strange when David Dein says I am not for sale and should not be contacted by anyone.

"There have been crazy reports about my agent in some newspapers that I want to correct.

"It is ridiculous to criticise Marc. He has been my best friend since I was a boy of 19 at Cannes.

"He had great players then and we became close friends. I am the godfather to his little daughter. So Marc and I have a special relationship which started before football came into it.

"Now some people have tried to discredit him. He is the managing director of the FIFA-registered agency Fidustar and he works with one of the most respectable solicitors in the football world.

"Marc has handled more than 150 transfers, 15 of them in England.

"One newspaper said Marc will get £3.5m as commission from my transfer. That is not true.

"That will be my signing-on fee, not the commission. Marc will get only 10 per cent of my salary.

"That's how strong our friendship is. Money does not come into it.

"He renewed and improved my contract twice with Arsenal in the last five years.

"But I told Marc 'not this time, I want to leave'.

"That is the reality of the situation. And I want people to know the truth.

"I will always remember my time at Arsenal — but I am going."

I agree...

We'll definitely finish TOP 5...no gurantees any silverware though! Tough competitions from Man Utd, Leeds Utd and Liverpool!

We must face that fact that our beloved club is still small, compared to the rest... Even Liverpool's european achievment is better than us...

We won't lose but is still long way to go for us!

All I see is a brat who sh*ts on the club that turned him from a Milan reject to a France NT player.If he wanted to leave,he should go with modesty and his mouth shot.Especially the way he talked about his teammates was quite pathetic.The sooner you get rid of that a*shole the better for Arsenal.He is replacable.As for the rest of his comments,who exactly does he think he is? he is talking as if he is the best player in the world...pathetic!

I really don't understand why he suddenly became so LOUD and PROUD? :confused:

I really wonder?!

I think that i will have to repeat a lot of what I said in the English forum...Viera has shown to me that he is a tit and the wya he is talking mean that there is no way that Arsenal can keep him therefore it is natural for me to say that he is scum.

He has a ****ing contract that he should be made to fulfill and I have little doubt that he will go on strike if he does not get his way:mad:
It just annoys me so much that football players that are becoming millionaires are going on strike with the premise that they are being wronged in some way...listen mates the miners were wronged, nurses are wronged you are not.

and when he speaks of the apparent hopefuls maybe he had better remember what he was when he came from Milan the contradicting, ungratefull twat.

Also when he speaks of Arsenal not going to do anything next year he seems to forget that they finished second (oh and to explain it to you Paddy you did this as you had more points throughout the season than 18 other teams) and came so close to reaching the semi finals of the Champions league.

Jeffers has not played many games but how many did Anelka play for PSG?, and are we to simply say that Van Bronkourst is not a good player?

He is looking for excuses and has come up with some that seem to suit a team like Aston Villa more than a team like Arsenal.

Ryan,your last line can put you in some major troubles with Natalya...:eek: :)

i think Viera is right in a way. he certainly has the right to decide about his future. he is great player no doubt about it and he has served Arsenal very well.. Arsenal best chance of winning the league was last season which they blew it by loosing some vital matches against weak teams.. Wenger has bought some new players and a young player too. he certalinly knows what he is doing[Wenger] and for the last few years he has proved people wrong who quetioned him.. but loosing Viera would be a great loss for Arsenal and i dont think there is any one who can replace him... :depress: :depress: . he is more or less at the pick of his career playing well and it is about time he wins some trophies for him... :mad: :mad: :mad:

You have to love this man...really?. I would certainly derive considerable pleasure if I were watching him being strangled slowly, a garotte lovingly applied by a true artist of the arts of agony, to his venomous neck, perhaps if I were watching a million fire ants swathing his body as they rend his succulent caviar fed arse of it's fat. So in a sence, that would be sort of love, for he is an integral part of the act. Just as he was integral to another act today, an act exceeding any other I could concieve in it's depravity. Melodramatic. Certainly. However, how are the needs of one measured against of plenty? Rambling. Sure. I'm in a rambling sort of mood.

The semantics's of what the 'The Kunt' said, as it's name forever will be spelt in my mind, is one thing. You certaily argue that in some respect 'The Kunt' may indeed have a point. Given the current bugeting at Highbury, it certainly could be construed as being unlikely that we would claim the Champ's league next year. After all how can week compete with the efforts of 'great' clubs such as Barcelona (taken up the sh1tter by a third division team? Really!!!) or the mighty Inter. Who I believe he has recently been associated with, by one set of media vultures or another However, his pathetic, cowardly, cretinous verbal assault on the club and his fellow team 'mates' is another. His behaviour is lacking in even the vaguest level of decency.

But, isn't he just calling it like he sees it? Perhaps if he called a press conference, and this was the product of it. Then perhaps I could be more swayed to that opinion. However, given the nature of the situation, 'The Kunt' currently having a threesome with Marc 'the ****' Roger, and his bit on the beaches of Florida. His vitriol to be spilt from the pen, of a third rate tabloid hack, so firmly entrenched in manure's rectum that he can only see through dollar signs, while he's saftly enconselled away, enjoying his time with the ****. I really can't see it in those terms. Those terms would surely suggest honestly, in what has clearly become a pantomine performance by the 'The Kunt' and his stooges. That said, I seriously doubt that he said those things attributed to him, for a start they contain polysylabelles, which surely would beyond his capabilities., also the phrasiology seems warped. However, I have little doubt that he authorized them on some level.

But, hasn't he the right to dictate his furture, after all he has dedicated himself to the cause for half a decade? Sure, but he also has a contract, and that does not excuse his wretched behaviour. If he requested a Transfer, perhaps staged a press conferance of some kind, which surely wouldn't be a problem with someone of such theatrical tastes. Then would the reaction of been the same. Everyone makes choices in there life, in both scenarios the 'The Kunt' chooses to leave. However, in one he chooses a path of dignity, and in the other he chooses to practice some remarkable sexual gymnastics. Phucking the club, the fans, Wenger, and the players simultaneously. All off which let us not forget, have put up with a remarkable a amount of foreplay already from 'The Kunt'. How many times already this year has he taken the p1ss, needing to cuddled and mollified by Wenger. How many times during the last five years has he put up with his perpetual sendings off, and depravity on the pitch. Who can forget the vile spitting incident. Time and again everyone's come out to support 'the Kunt', perhaps betraying their natural instincts in the process, and he says this bolloks. Betraying, those who stood by him in his enumorous dark hours, and for what? A few pieces of silver? The stroking of his ego? Ahhhh, but both, that surely has to be worth it, no?

But he want's more dosen't he, success....? Let's see. His assertion that the players around him, are not good enough to be in his presence, would be laughable if it were not contemtable. His assertion that success can be and should be bought?, is continually disproved as I'm sure homomars won't tell you. His notion that to be a good player, you must cost X millions of pounds? Is discredited by...well himself. Whilst it's true that Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid, are undoutably going to offer a more likely prospect of success then us. I fail to see how some of the other teams mentioned are. So...perhaps he may desire 'trophies' more then the feeling of a big wad in his back pocket. We shall see, if he is willing to take a pay cut to go to Munich, I will admit I am wrong about him in that much. However, I doubt it of the mercenary Kunt somehow. And eitherway his ego is clearly, phucking monumental.

So, what next. Sell 'the Kunt, try to make as much profit as possible on his mercenary hide? Stick him in the reserves for the next three years, assulting his international propects in the process? Whilst the former, would be of the greatest short term benefit to us, it would firmly entrnch us as cannon fodder for disreputable agents, and greedy players. There is also a question of the wider game as a whole. Already this year we have seen numerous players pushing for transfers a varying degree of dignity. Frey, Thuram, Zidane......spot a trend.....or should I say trends.

By giving into 'The Kunt' we would surely send a signal to every player, that new Ferrari is in your reach, all you have to do is stab your club in the back. I say we make a stand, stick 'the Kunt' into reserves for the rest of his contract, let the phucker rot. Sure, we may not win the title next year, sure we will be out of pocket, but there some things more important....the game itself.

blitheid -

1) Are you jopub with a thesaurus(AWIMB)?

2)Learn how to spell.

3)Learn how to use adjectives properly, and how to construct grammatical sentences.

4)Learn how to think, not rant in amateur dramatic fashion.

5)Don't support my team. You'll just make all the other players leave.

6)Stop writing like an adolescent goth.

7)Learn how to spell.

8)Learn how to spell.

9)LEARN HOW TO SPELL.

P.S.
Remind yourself that Vieira has contributed more to this club than you have contributed, or will contribute, to anything(even were you to live to see the universe collapse in on itself), and that you are a glory hunting sucker of Satan's c*ck.

P.P.S.
Can I fantasise about slitting your throat now?

You would have to wonder why Vieira has changed his mind on Arsenal. I mean, last month, he was saying that Arsenal had a good future and he was staying etc....and now, they have nothing going for them in the future at all.

I respect the fact that he wants success, i mean, all top players do. And i believe he is right about Arsenal. Van Bronckhurst and Jeffers are not exactley world class players who are going to win trophies for Arsenal. And as for Wenger's 25 million pounds...well, he might be able to get a washed up or second rate player on bench from Inter, Juve or Barcelona. These days, that kind of transfer money isn't a lot.

IMO that he will join Juve due to the fact of us having Zidane, Thuram and Trezeguet. I'm not sure if any other clubs would have the same French connection within their team.

I think the best thing for Arsenal to do is sell him and try to get world class players. I mean, if Juve wants him, why not ask for cash and go for Kovacevic, a player which Arsenal needs to partner Henry. Or go for Van der Sar, if you need a keeper.

The only thing you can do is try to benefit from his departure. It's no good him staying and not wanting to be at the club. He wont perform in that state of mind or manner.

And i don't believe that Vieira should talk about his fellow players at the club like that. However, if they are interfering with his departure and contract decisions, well, then he has every right to tell them to mind their own business.

Arsenal still have a long way to go before they are considered as the big guns of Europe. Vieira knows this and if he can't see a good future for Arsenal, it will not be long before others start realising the same thing.

Arsenal must buy good players, players like Nakata and strikers like Salas etc...they are the players who are on the market now, and they are the best players on the market at the moment, spend big to get them, they will give you success. And in turn, success means money, it is as simplistic as that!

I seldom get to post here anymore because my time has become most demanding. However, I am utterly disappointed in Patrick Vieira's recent statements and feel I should make a few comments about the recent turn of events.

Vieira's public comments about Jeffers and van Bronckhorst suggest a man out of control and bring back memories of some of his wild antics on the pitch last season. To forecast Arsenal will not finish in the top 5 in the Premiership next season prior to Wenger completing all his new signings is totally unacceptable.

This is the man Wenger supported 100% when his temper tantrums, which included spitting at an opponent, got him into serious trouble last season. How does the board deal with a man who has shown real contempt for his contract with Arsenal? This is the club that extended his contracts on two previous occasions with a huge increase in salary each time.

David Dein still maintains that Vieira is not for sale and is still under contract with Arsenal. Dein has stated that instead of getting into a "public slagging match" with Vieira he will try to meet with him. It has been suggested that if such a meeting is unsuccessful Vieira could be stripped of his first team place,and relegated to the Reserves.

Personally I don't believe that would be the correct decision as it wreaks of vengeance, at least that's how it would be interpreted by some. I believe Vieira will fetch 35 million plus pounds on the transfer market. My suggestion is to sell him and get a first class midfielder to replace him.

Then everyone will be satisfied including Vieira. Bye, bye, Paddy and thanks for the memories!!!

look you guys i think we were talking about the Vieras move. and lsiten to this Robert Pires will also be moving out if his pal does not stay at Highbury. he said that if Viera does not stay he might as well move. he would be thinking of moving to Valencia. i think Wenger is having some tough time keeping his French players.

Ron Manager,

1) No. I'm not no Jopub, however coming from an ignorant wanksock like you, whose comments fail to rise above turd-esque intelligence. I presume it's supposed to be a compliment?

2) How a about trying to argue the point, instead of coming out with pathetic third rate insults. So, I can't spell? You can't help yourself sounding like a smug third rate version of Chris Moyles, I know which condition I would prefer to be inflicted with.

3) Dont's support my team. Creatures such as you are the reason why passion has irrevocably lost from the game, you odious prawn eater, you.

4) I'm fully aware that 'the Kunt' has done far more from the club then I ever will, which he was more then amply compensated for. I am also aware that he has done more harm to the club, and it' s reputation,then I possibly ever could.

5) Feel free to fantasize about slitting by throat. If you manage to find time between your fatasies of 'the Kunt' slitting your sh1tter open, and sticking his cock up it.

p.s I see why you feel such an affinity for 'the Kunt', your clearly just along for the ride as well.

Go to hell Paddy... :mad:

Why??
Whats wrong with him???

If the comments it's reported he's been saying then I dont even want him to stay at Arsenal :mad:
Wenger AND Arsenal made him the player he is now, even if he would want to leave the club more then anything, he's OWE the club and especially Wenger to stay! :mad:

IF all this is untrue I hope you all forgive me for my comments but for the moment Im just so f*cking angry :mad:

He will NEVER ever get the same love from the fans that he has got in Arsenal, he will NEVER be as respected as he is in Arsenal...
Adams even wanted this guy to be the new captain,which is a VERY big honour, and if Paddy doesnt understands-only the GREATEST and most loved players get the chance to be captain in Arsenal.But he doesnt even care...

For the moment the only guys you can trust in Arsenal is unfournatley only the englishmen and Bergy...sad but true...

How long can the credibility of the beautiful game continue if a contract isn't worth the paper it's written on? A player who pours out poison to the media, in ridiculing his club, manager and players, is a man of questionable character. Vieira is not alone. There are others out there urged on by scheming agents who follow the same sleazy tactics.

They sign a contract, turn down a new one, then threaten to break it. They then contemptuously insult the club and its supporters making it easier for a sale to a club, the flimsy agent had already chosen beforehand. This is what Viieira and his agent have done - told the media he's finished with Arsenal and must be transferred to the team of "his" choice.

I don't question his right to go where he wishes. However, I do object to the manner in which he's attempting to achieve it. I certainly don't wish to see this soap opera end up in the European Court system. I am certainly not prepared for another Anelka repeat, whereby he forced Arsenal to sell him to Real Madrid, which discovered his true identity and sold him back to his original club PSG.

Vieira, as far as I'm concerned has lost his credibility in using nothing short of blackmail to violate what appears to be a perfectly legitimate legal contract. So that if footballers under contract can manipulate a lucrative deal by giving venomous interviews to the media, then the beautiful game is destined for the gutter!!

Originally posted by Socrates

Vieira, as far as I'm concerned has lost his credibility in using nothing short of blackmail to violate what appears to be a perfectly legitimate legal contract. So that if footballers under contract can manipulate a lucrative deal by giving venomous interviews to the media, then the beautiful game is destined for the gutter!!

Couldn't have sad it better my self...

I thought Paddy loved the club, we all thought so...he was pointed out as the "next captain". To bad you screwed up your career...
Arsenal is famous not to have divas in the team, I never have considered Paddy as one, now I do... :mad:

i agree and reading this all these years on is amazing that it still rings true.

if we lose flam and hleb (as it looks like we will) players are looking at arsenal as a stepping stone to a further their careers and move onto bigger clubs as oppose to a big club to stay at.

:( :(

We need to win that damn Chumps League next year.

lol, the season after this rant we won the title. :howler:

Never doubt Wenger. :D Still maintain we would have won it this season if Eduardo hadn't broken his leg.

i agree and reading this all these years on is amazing that it still rings true.

if we lose flam and hleb (as it looks like we will) players are looking at arsenal as a stepping stone to a further their careers and move onto bigger clubs as oppose to a big club to stay at.

:( :(

We need to win that damn Chumps League next year.

Rings true in what respect? We went a season undefeated after this article and though we haven't won the Champions league we knocked out Juve with him relinquishing the ball for the second goal.

If we lose Flam and Hleb you'll see what they're really made of once they leave. Flamini and Hleb are good but Le prof knows how to get the best out of his players. Vieira, Overmars, Petit and Henry fell apart after leaving Arsenal. Vieira played well in the World Cup but hasn't done anything of note once he left us.