Patrick Vieira has a new job after being loosely linked with the Nottingham Forest job back in April. The man who served Arsenal with distinction during his playing career has taken charge of Ligue 1 outfit Strasbourg.
The move was confirmed by BBC Sport earlier this week. It now completely ends any speculation of him moving back to the Premier League and thankfully, the ridiculous notion of him coming to Forest can cease.
Evangelos Marinakis acted with his head last season. Despite the poor run of form which threatened Forest’s status as a Premier League club, he didn’t wield the axe on Steve Cooper.
The Reds incumbent showcased his worth in the dying embers of the campaign. He oversaw a remarkable run that saw Forest claim 11 points from their final six games and survive with a game to spare.
Vieira was dismissed by Crystal Palace in March. The Eagles had slipped alarmingly close to the relegation zone in the Premier League and Roy Hodgson was handed a second spell in the hot seat.
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The 47-year-old was linked with other Premier League jobs. It was prior to a game with Leeds back in April when the links between Vieira and the Forest role first emerged.
Thankfully, Marinakis did the right thing. Everyone at Forest is firmly behind Cooper and the supporters worship the ground that he walks on at the club.
Vieira has a new job and thankfully he won’t be coming to Forest
Appointing the Frenchman would have been a complete disaster. In truth, had they replaced Cooper with Vieira, Forest would likely be preparing for another campaign in the Championship.
The Reds stuck to their guns and gave Cooper every chance to turn things around. Once he got his best players back to full fitness, his team thrived and they finished the season in 16th.
Vieira moving to France looks like a good move for him. He will have the chance to rediscover himself in a lesser league at a club where the expectation levels are lower than they would be at a Premier League club.
Forest got a lucky escape over Vieira and thankfully, Marinakis showcased his faith in Cooper.