Advertisement

MLS: Former Gunner Vieira is changing the perception of European coaches in MLS

MLS: Former Gunner Vieira is changing the perception of European coaches in MLS

When Patrick Vieira landed in New York, he was yet to fully understand the intricacies of Major League Soccer. Terms such as ‘Allocation Money’ and 'Expansion Draft’ were alien to him, but that didn’t stop him outlining simple and clear intentions.

“I’m here to win. You understand what I mean?” he told the Guardian. “When you’re in youth development, you have to develop players — win or come in second. But the job where I am and the reality of our industry is to win to be successful, and that is what I have to do. I have to be successful and I want to be successful, so we’ll do everything we can do to win.”

Vieira’s first win as New York City FC coach would not take long. A pulsating 4-3 victory against the Chicago Fire and a fellow newcomer from Europe in Veljko Paunovic. His second success would take slightly longer to manifest. Arriving April 30, against the Vancouver Whitecaps, the game took place at Yankee Stadium, on a pitch that is traditionally used for America’s favourite pastime – baseball.

In many ways, the drastic transformation from football field to baseball diamond is reminiscent of Vieira’s own work with NYCFC. Not every slice of turf comes up easily, and not every match Vieira has taken charge of has produced success.

In May, there was the 7-0 humiliation by their fierce rivals the New York Red Bulls. The defeat was a new experience for Vieira. He lost only once to Tottenham Hotspur when he was an Arsenal player, and even that was a narrow scoreline of 2-1. The result set an MLS record for biggest losing margin, this was not how the club had planned it.

Battling against the bizarre dimensions of their home field, Vieira also had critics claiming nepotism had seen him hired at NYCFC. The club fired highly-touted American Jason Kreis after just one season at the helm – a decision that was seen as premature at the time. Kreis had been unable to guide the team into the playoffs, with his style of play also struggling to incorporate the team’s big name assets.

Vieira has overcome that problem. The Frenchman has experimented tactically throughout this season, moving players like chess pieces until he finds the right solution. Earlier in the season he tried a 3-4-3, then a 3-5-1-1, and 4-3-3 in his quest to find the right style.

Each one had benefits and drawbacks, with the ultimate goal being to find a formation that allowed him to get the most from Andrea Pirlo, David Villa and Frank Lampard. “Their understanding of the game – their brain works more quickly than everyone else,” Vieira said. “So they might not have the legs but they have the brain that other players don’t have. They make it look easy. I’m really please with what people called old players. They are the heart of this team and more than happy with what they’re doing.”

Underpinning those different formations was an eagerness to play out from the back. On occasion that dedication to his principals cost Vieira, (most notably in derby games against the Red Bulls). Yet in the long term it has produced results, as has his disciplined approach with the team’s younger players. NYCFC made only a handful of squad changes in the summer, with Vieira tasked to get the most out of players like Tommy McNamara and Khiry Shelton.

At the time of writing, the pair have a combined eighteen assists and eight goals, which is an impressive return. Of course, the team’s biggest names, Lampard and Villa, sit near the top of the team’s goalscoring charts. Villa was sensational last season, but in Lampard, Vieira has helped a player that looked set for a poor legacy in the league.

Many called for the Englishman to be released after an injury ridden start to 2016, with some even deeming him the worst Designated Player in the league’s history. Vieira instead chose to deploy him as a hybrid midfielder/forward, in a move that has seen Lampard record twelve goals from just twenty-one shots on goal in eighteen games.

Granted, not everyone has fit into the new era at NYCFC. Mix Diskerud, a US international signed from Norwegian giants Rosenborg has been ostracised from the first team picture, with Vieira entertaining offers for the midfielder. Few would argue with the coach’s evaluation though, in part due to the fact the Frenchman provided numerous Diskerud chances earlier in the season. Arriving with no pre-conceptions of his squad, it has served him well.

“When you come into a country, it’s difficult to come in and say I will change everything,” he told CBS New York. “If people have things in their mind then it’s not the best approach. I came here with humility and tried to work with people in the football club and explain the way I see the game. Of course, I take into consideration, the different opinion and options of people who have been here a really long time.”

Elsewhere, there are intangibles that a character like Vieira brings. His wealth of experience at the top level cannot be overlooked, and his tender tones are offset by the respect he commands. When Vieira speaks, youngsters like Jack Harrison as well as veterans like Lampard. listen. The 40-year-old is still young enough to relate to his players, and even occasionally dons a training bib to partake in sessions.

The first NYCFC coach to reach the playoffs, it is highly unlikely that he is content with what has already been achieved. Vieira was a fierce competitor during his playing days, with his passion for winning occasionally his downfall. A soft spoken manager, there are still elements of his team’s play that require refinement.

NYCFC’s defensive record remains a concern heading into the playoffs, with the team in sky blue conceding 53 goals so far this season, (the highest of any team currently in a play-off spot and the second worst in the league).

If he can help manage that issue, then success will surely follow. Doubted by many, he arrived in the unforgiving city of New York determined to win. By taking NYCFC to the playoffs, he has gone some-way to achieving that goal, along with changing the perception on European coaches in MLS.

“What is really important to me is that the players are really enjoying it,” he said. “When I’m talking to them and see them play, they are really buying into that project and the way to play.”