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Patrick Vieira: Pat on the back
After five months in Italy, Patrick Vieira has had time to re-adjust to life in the peninsula. Turin-based Peter Bourne spoke exclusively with the Juventus ace
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When Patrick Vieira speaks he’s usually frank and direct. And recently he’s been in explosive mood. The first extracts from his autobiography revealed his heartbreak at leaving Arsenal, the club he had served for nearly a decade, so abruptly and without compassion, admitting the outfit were at fault for his unwanted departure. He clarified the ambiguity which has surrounded his strained relationship and rivalry with Manchester United. He upset Ruud Van Nistlerooy, brandishing the United striker ‘a coward and a cheat’.
“I saw myself finishing my career at Arsenal,” he admits. “When I was told by David Dein that there was an offer from Juventus and the club was neutral about my decision whether to accept it or not. I didn’t understand the club’s position. They had fought long and hard to keep me the previous summer and had they spoke to me the same way, then there is no doubt that I would still be there today.
“I was angry, surprised and upset,” says the 29-year-old. “It wasn’t about a good or bad contract - the word that swung it for me was ‘neutral’.” Reports in England suggest he misses the Premiership and Arsenal. It’s even been claimed that his old enemy in the form of Man Utd have been in negotiations about bringing him back, fuelling speculation that his second stay in Italy may even be as short as his teenage stint at Milan.
Vieira has been quick to deny any previous involvement with the Old Trafford giants. “I never turned United down in the past because nothing was made clear and I was never aware of an approach,” reveals the French international. “I never knew if they were interested because there was a lot of confusion and perhaps some of that was my fault because I had different agents at the time.”
However, as Vieira reveals to Calcio Italia - a magazine he reads regularly - he is more than happy in Italy and is quick to rebuff any talk of missing his second-home or wanting a return to the Premier League.
Vieira is in good mood, proving a polite, available and thoughtful interviewee. His aggressive presence on the field is not matched off it. Vieira is a towering presence but charming and gentle, a confident communicator and modest superstar. Switching between French, Italian and English, he reveals the truth about his first few months in Turin.
Patrick, first of all, do you get tired of doing interviews?
No, not all. It’s fine. I tend to do interviews in blocks, a few times a year and actually enjoy them.
How are you settling in Turin?
It’s going really well. Fantastically, in fact. I’ve settled in perfectly. I’ve finally found a house in the centre of town after four months living in a hotel.
And how’s the Italian going?
At the moment, I’ve been practising alone because I will only find the time for lessons when I get settled properly. However, it is improving and the experience I had at Milan many years ago is proving useful. I don’t have to start from zero and I only need to refind words in my memory. The fact that there are so many French players is really helpful too. There is no language barrier that I have to cross.
What language do you speak in the dressing room?
A mix between Italian, French and English. It’s a very cosmopolitan environment which is fantastic.
After London, do you find Turin a little quiet?
You can’t compare a city like Turin to London or Paris. It’s a much smaller place. But, I would say it is a very charming city. There’s a lot of work taking place for the Winter Olympic Games, which I’m sure will make it even more attractive once that has been completed.
Are you interested in the Winter Olympics?
I wasn’t before I came. But I think that now that I’m here, I would like to see some of the action and take advantage of the occasion which is naturally a massive event.
And on the field, how have you found the switch?
It’s been really easy because the atmosphere in the dressing room is spectacular. And on the pitch it’s been a quick transition. In such a great team, it’s easy to adapt.
Tactically speaking, what differences have you found between the Premiership and Serie A?
They’re two high-profile Leagues which are clearly amongst the most difficult in the world. There’s a lot of passion about football in England, but it’s more controlled. Tactically, you have more space on the pitch there than here. In Italy, when you get close to the opponents’ box, space is very tight. There seems to be more pressure from the fans and the media over here too.
Anything in particular been especially helpful after your move?
Having three other French players who have been here for a number of years has been a positive, as they have given me lots of useful advice.
Has your past experience at Milan helped?
Having some knowledge of the Italian game before has been an advantage, although it’s a long time ago and my spell at Arsenal obviously shaped me more as a player and a person.
Has Fabio Capello changed much since when you met him back in 1996?
No, he hasn’t changed at all. He still has that same desire to win and same passion for the game which makes him a great Coach.
What makes Juventus so successful?
Hunger. The hunger to win, the hunger to improve, the hunger to fight for every ball.
Are there are differences between the way Arsenal and Juventus are organised off the pitch?
Not much. They’re two great clubs and the fact they have been in football’s elite for years, both at domestic and international level, clearly shows it.
Every year Juventus buy a key player, do you expect another major signing next summer?
I don’t know, that’s for the club to decide, although I’m sure the desire to maintain high standards will see more great players arrive.
There’s been a lot of talk recently about the capture of Willy Sangol from Bayern Munich, seeing as he is a free agent in the summer.
This I can’t confirm. We talk often when we are with the French national team, but he has not spoken to me about this subject.
Do you think the title race in Italy is now down to two clubs - Juventus and Milan?
No, the season is very long and I think that there is still a lot of time for Inter to catch up.
Will the season be shaped by the pressure which the latter stages of the Champions League will provide?
Of course, this adds pressure and the teams suffer from tiredness and fatigue. But, I repeat, the season is very long and a lot can still happen. It’s important not to discount Inter from the title race.
What about the Champions League? Can you finally win it after so many disappointing European campaigns at Arsenal?
It’s an important tournament and every player dreams about winning it. We tried at Arsenal but we were always lacking something at crucial moments. I just now hope that this is the right time for me. It was obvious on my arrival how important the Champions League is to everyone here. After all, just look at the team which has been built - it’s one of the strongest I’ve ever been part of. Furthermore, for us French players, it’s very stimulating that the Final will be staged at the Stade the France in Paris. To lift the European Cup in the same stadium where I became a world champion in 1998 would be another of those feelings that words can not describe.
How does this Juventus midfield compare to the Arsenal side with yourself and Emanuele Petit?
When I was playing with Petit at Arsenal, I performed in a more defensive position and was also a lot younger, so less experienced. Here at Juventus, my position is very different. Emerson is the more defensive player and I’ve had more licence to move forward, which I prefer. We both have the ability to adapt, which makes things interesting and tactically that is important. Emerson is a very special player and the more we play together then the better we get.
What do you think about Capello’s belief that Emerson and yourself form the best central midfield partnership in world football?
There are only a few teams that can line up such a complete and united duo. Now it’s up to us to show that we deserve such praise. We’ve got to work hard on the pitch, training session after training session, and perform better match by match. My relationship with Emerson has started out in the best way possible and it is very exciting to play beside such a world-class player.
Are you surprised by how many goals you’ve scored?
Yes, it’s been a pleasant feature of my game, but again my position is more advanced so I can find myself in key areas of the pitch and see more of the ball. It’s nice because it’s not been my target as a player. The way we play really suits me. Our strikers are also all very good at dealing with the ball and at creating room for us midfielders to come from behind. The fact that Pavel Nedved and Mauro Camoranesi are also scoring highlights that.
Juventus in general have so many flair players. Is it difficult to accommodate them all?
Looking at a team which has talents like Alessandro Del Piero, David Trezeguet, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Adrian Mutu and Marcelo Zalayeta, there will never be a shortage of goals. It’s a fantastic array of forwards, and so far they have all made an important contribution.
Have Milan been the best team you’ve played this season?
(Long pause, not wanting to praise Milan) No, probably the best team has been Bayern Munich in the Champions League. At least, they have been the toughest matches.
Could the rivalry with Milan ever compare to that with Manchester United?
Every country has a major rivalry between the top teams. Look at Spain. Look at England and the same here. The best teams always battle against each other.
In the recent Milan-Juventus match, the Rossoneri had the better of the midfield and pressed on yourself and Emerson. Is Rino Gattuso the Italian equivalent of Roy Keane?
(Abrupt response) No, he is nothing like Keane as a player. There’s no way you can compare Gattuso to Keane.
Which of your current teammates has most impressed you? Perhaps a player who has surprised you the most?
Mauro Camoranesi. He’s fantastic and not someone I knew very well before. He can cover the wing and the central midfield. He has a great engine and technique.
You’ve played with two of the world’s best left-backs, Gianluca Zambrotta and Ashley Cole. How do they compare?
They are very different players. Cole is someone who likes to attack, cross the ball and goes forward like a train. He is also still quite inexperienced and very young. Zambrotta, on the other hand, is a very solid player and defensively very astute.
At the end of your career do you see yourself playing in a more defensive role?
I’m so happy with the way I’m playing at the moment that I can’t think beyond my current position. I enjoy being in the centre of the park because this way I see more of the ball and am more involved in the game. I like being able to dictate from the centre of the midfield.
Would you be interested in going into management or coaching?
I don’t know because the future can hold many different things, but I want to stay in the world of football because it’s what I love, it’s a passion, and what I enjoy doing. There are so many things I want to do in life, it’s difficult to plan them all. I can’t think that far ahead yet.
And the World Cup, are you excited?
Of course, after a difficult qualification it’s a relief to be there and for every player it’s something special. We still have good potential and a quality team, therefore we can still dream.
What’s the minimum target for the French side?
Like any major force, it would be going right to the end and winning the championship. You can’t imagine anything less. But so much is about having the team fit and being in form for what is essentially a month long competition, where only in June will we understand the mental and physical state of the teams.
What went wrong in Korea and Japan?
It’s not so much just one thing but lots of smaller problems. We didn’t play our best and made some mistakes. Perhaps after three years of world domination and fantastic results we took things for granted and were too confident. By the time we could take stock of the situation, we were out.
When you stepped up to take that penalty in the FA Cup Final against Manchester United, were you aware that it would be your last touch in an Arsenal shirt?
No, I just concentrated on taking the penalty. I didn’t expect it would be my last kick in an Arsenal jersey. I had been planning to stay at Arsenal. I just wanted to win that trophy.
But not a bad way of finishing, beating the enemy?
But it’s hard to think of it like that, as a positive thing, given the way it ended.
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| Interviewed: December 2005 |
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