It’s taken a minute, but head coach Patrick Vieira has officially departed from our BlueCo multiclub compatriots after leading RC Strasbourg to just 13th place in the 18-team Ligue 1.
In an official statement, they praise Vieira for his leadership and for working with their youthful squad, claiming that this was a mutual choice. If this seems familiar, it’s because, on the surface at least, it’s a lot like what happened under Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea earlier this summer, even down to the bit where Vieira seemed to desire some more seasoned players to join the squad.
“Patrick Vieira, we at the club, sincerely appreciate you for your flawless devotion. In fact, Patrick was able to guide young players through a season of change and consistently behaved admirably both on and off the field.
This situation is made even more unique, though, because Strasbourg has already begun their preseason preparations. During a two-week training camp in Austria, they played three friendly, the last of which ended in a 4-0 loss to José Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe. From a distance at least, Vieira’s departure suddenly appears to be a huge surprise.
Nevertheless, it’s reported that the legendary player for France and Arsenal is among the front-runners for the freshly opened USMNT head coaching position.
Strasbourg, meanwhile, plans to name a new head coach “soon.”
