Former Arsenal captain and the MLS outfit New York City FC manager, Patrick Viera has offered his assessment of Arsenal's recent performances and also the club's inactivity in the transfer market. He also rued about the fact that the Gunners lack the personality that is needed to win the Premier League which has been eluding the Gunners for the last 12 years. He also expressed pleasure over managing the likes of Frank Lampard and David Villa while stating that his dream is to one day manage in England.
Viera has also raised questions as to why Arsenal are not letting their own former players develop their coaching skills at the club. He himself went to Manchester City to coach their elite development squad while Mikel Arteta too has gone to The Etihad to become Pep Guardiola's assistant.
Thierry Henry had earlier worked to coach the youngsters at the club before Wenger made him choose between coaching or being a pundit on Sky Sports. Former Arsenal legend Tony Adams has also accepted a role in the Chinese Super League after leaving the Gunners in the recent past.
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Viera said, "I'm disappointed not to have ex-Arsenal players working at Arsenal. "It is good for the young players who could see an Henry, Ljungberg, Campbell or Keown who have been at the club a good few years working in the academy, or working somewhere. I think they can do it a bit more. Players want to do it but do not have the opportunity. I don't understand it."
"The perfect example is Ajax, you see all the old players working for the club, on the field, in the office, the door is always open for them, but Arsenal don't do it and I don't know why," he said. Viera said that he will always be a big fan of the club and has revealed that he always looks for their results first. Dennis Bergkamp and Edwin Van Der Saar are working at their parent club Ajax as Viera suggested, to learn the trades of management.
The former Arsenal player also criticised Arsenal's lack of personality at the moment as he said, “Now when I watch Arsenal, yes they play good football but I just have a feeling they are missing something - the physical presence, the personality, this is what they're missing.” Arsenal are looking to sign Shkodran Mustafi in the coming days to end their quest of a centre-back this summer.
