Patrick Vieira handed coaching role at Manchester City

Patrick Viera attends the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match Paris Saint-Germain vs Valencia, on March 6, 2013 at the Parc-des-Princes stadium in Paris. Vieira was appointed as the coach of Manchester City‘s emerging young stars on Thursday.

London (AFP): Former Arsenal and France midfielder Patrick Vieira was appointed as the coach of Manchester City’s emerging young stars on Thursday.

Vieira had been working as City’s football development executive since retiring as a player with the Manchester outfit two years ago and is now in charge of their ‘elite development squad’.

The 36-year-old’s move onto the City coaching staff, which will see him deal with what is effectively the reserve team, follows the sacking of manager Roberto Mancini and a number of his backroom team earlier this week.

Former Italy star Attilio Lombardo had been the City coach primarily responsible for dealing with development squad, but he has now left the club along with Mancini.

Vieira completed his UEFA B coaching licence last year and has been keen to get a more hands-on coaching role for some time.

“After spending two years working across a number of areas of the club and with a particular focus on the youth academy, I feel honoured and privileged to have been offered this role,” Vieira said.

“This marks a new chapter both in my career and in my life and I am looking forward to it immensely.

“My passion for the development of young talent has only grown in my time at City and I am pleased to be able to play my part in helping to shape the footballing future for Manchester City.”

Vieira won the World Cup with France in 1998 and the European Championship two years later.

He also lifted nine domestic league titles including three with Arsenal, with whom he also won the FA Cup four times. A fifth FA Cup came at the end of his career with City in 2011.