In short
Podcast Notes: The Rest Is Football - Episode: Patrick Vieira: The Moments That Made Them
Episode Overview In this episode, Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards delve into the legacy of Patrick Vieira, particularly focusing on his rivalry with Roy Keane during the height of the Premier League. The discussion also touches on the influence of French players in English football and highlights various anecdotes about Vieira's character, both on and off the pitch.
Key Topics Discussed
- Patrick Vieira vs Roy Keane
- Rivalry Analysis: The hosts discuss who was the superior player—Vieira or Keane.
- Arguments for Vieira:
- Technical skills and football intelligence.
- Strong presence both physically and mentally on the pitch.
- Contributions to Arsenal's success during his time.
- Arguments for Keane:
- Noted for his leadership and tenacity.
- Played a pivotal role in Manchester United's dominance.
- Statistical Comparison: Both players had similar goal-scoring records in the Premier League despite their differing roles.
- Influence of French Players
- Impact on Premier League: Vieira among other French players significantly transformed English football, primarily through Arsène Wenger's recruitment at Arsenal.
- Discussion of French League: Emphasized as a physical league, creating athletes who adapted well to the demands of the Premier League.
- Cultural Shift: The arrival of French players like Vieira led to a change in lifestyle and training standards in English clubs.
- Memorable Anecdotes
- Training Stories:
- Vieira was described as ruthless in training, exhibiting aggressive tackling, which sometimes made him difficult to play with.
- Personal Stories: Micah Richards shared experiences of Vieira's character, illustrating his elegance and charm off the field contrasted with his fierce competitive nature.
- Evolution of Football Training and Nutrition
- Comparison of past and present training regimes, highlighting misconceptions about diet and physical training during the hosts' playing days.
- Discussion on how modern training methods have evolved, benefiting younger players significantly compared to earlier generations.
- Patrick Vieira’s Lasting Legacy
- Final Moments at Arsenal: The episode reminisces about Vieira's last appearances for Arsenal, including a memorable farewell goal.
- Career Reflection: Vieira's transition to other clubs, including Juventus and Manchester City, while maintaining his status as a football icon.
Key Takeaways
- Rivalries Shape Legacies: The Vieira vs Keane rivalry remains one of the most talked-about in football history, contributing to their enduring legacies.
- Cultural and Tactical Shifts: The influence of foreign players and coaches, especially from France, has played a crucial role in modernizing English football.
- Personal and Professional Balance: Vieira’s character exemplifies how a player can maintain professionalism while also embracing a vibrant personal life.
Conclusion The episode provided a rich tapestry of insights into the life and career of Patrick Vieira, reflecting on his skills, rivalries, and the broader changes in football due to international influences, particularly from French players. The chemistry among the hosts, combined with humorous anecdotes, made for an engaging listen for football fans.
Additional Information
- Sponsors: The episode was brought to listeners by Fuse Energy and featured mentions of fantasy football opportunities.
- Join The Players Lounge: Listeners are encouraged to join the fantasy football club to compete with the hosts.
For more episodes, visit [Goalhanger Podcasts](https://www.goalhanger.com).
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOPatrick Vieira: A Football Legend
1:16 to 3:08
Unpack the qualities and impact of Patrick Vieira as both a player and a person.
“We're going to talk about, could I describe him as one of your heroes?”
Training Regimens: Then vs. Now
3:08 to 4:22
Explore the differences in training and nutrition between past and current football eras.
“Didn't quite have the same effect as the French had at Arsene.”
Comparative Analysis: Vieira vs. Keane
4:22 to 6:27
Discuss the rivalry and attributes of Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane.
“And then put into our era of steak and chips and out you go somewhere.”
Arsenal and Manchester United Rivalry
7:42 to 14:00
Delve into memorable moments and goals from the Arsenal vs. Manchester United rivalry.
“It's really about the rivalry of Arsenal and Manchester United and that fabulous goal there.”
Reflecting on Legendary Arsenal Teams
14:00 to 17:22
Explore the impact and legacy of iconic Arsenal players and teams.
“Particularly now, I think, because, I mean, it was incredible then and it was a remarkable achievement.”
The Challenge of Invincibility
17:22 to 18:23
Discuss the significance of Arsenal's invincible season and its rarity today.
“This episode is brought to you by Whoop.”
Influence of French Footballers
19:22 to 21:22
Analyze the impact of French players and managers in the Premier League.
“Do you think, I mean obviously he brought in quite a few Frenchmen Do you think they've been the most influential country in our game?”
Brian Robson's Legacy
21:22 to 24:29
Share a personal story highlighting Brian Robson's impact on football.
“This is a lovely little one-two, really.”
Patrick Vieira's Lasting Impact
24:29 to 28:00
Reflect on Patrick Vieira's final moments at Arsenal and his career after.
“and I go next to him, Robbo starts laughing.”
Yakut: A Night to Remember
28:00 to 30:06
Hear a humorous recounting of a memorable night out involving Patrick Vieira.
“obviously, Inter and then he was at Juve.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:01Micah Richards:Somewhere out there is a Chevy truck and the person who drives it, well, that's a Chevy person. You probably know one, your buddy, your sister, ones who always show up. They're the first to rise, the last to leave. They always have that little extra something and maybe you've got it too. Chevrolet, together let's drive. Visit chevy.com slash trucks to explore the lineup.
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1:07Alan Shearer:Hello and welcome to The Rest is Football with Alan Shearer, Micah Richards and me, Gary Lineker, in our latest episode of Premier League Greats, the moments that made them. We're going to talk about, could I describe him as one of your heroes? Yeah, you can. That's fine. Yeah, probably. Both as an Arsenal player and someone that you played alongside at Manchester City, the great Patrick Vieira. Now we're cooking.
1:33Patrick Vieira:What a player he was. I mean, football intelligence, power, aggressive. Could finish as well. Could finish. Little dinks, I remember them. And these long shots. He just had everything. Absolutely everything.
1:50Micah Richards:he had such a presence you know in the tunnel standing up alongside him wow look at the size of him he could run he could get up and down he was brilliant on the ball that partnership he had with Petit oh
2:05Patrick Vieira:he was underrated Petit as well yeah they were brilliant
2:09Micah Richards:as a pair weren't they but Vieira was he was a man mountain he was an incredible player
2:14Patrick Vieira:he's elegant off the field though as well isn't he
2:17Micah Richards:lovely guy
2:18Patrick Vieira:yeah nice man
2:18Alan Shearer:yeah Swagger. When you meet him, you don't see that hard guy. No.
2:25Patrick Vieira:That competitiveness. He was horrible in training, though. In training? In training, horrible. He's just, he's tackles, two-footed and everything. That's exactly in a game.
2:34Micah Richards:Exactly the same.
2:35Patrick Vieira:Even with his teammates. Yeah, he was horrible in training. I used to say to him, like, you're my hero. Now I've met you, I don't like you. I say it to him all the time.
2:47Alan Shearer:He was part of that, obviously, French contingent that arrived under Arsene Wenger and helped to transform our game a little bit in some ways. When he first came, there was, I think it was like 10 Englishmen in the team. Massively changed by Wenger. I had a similar thing at Leicester. We had a guy called Jock Wallace, the Scottish manager, and he brought loads of Scots down. Didn't quite have the same effect as the French had at Arsene.
3:17Patrick Vieira:What did you like for pre-match back then? That's a random question. No, because I'm thinking about, because obviously Wenger bought all this, the way of living.
3:26Alan Shearer:Pretty much what you wanted. In fact, when I first broke through into the first team, we actually had this thing called a pre-match meal. It was like, wow. And I had a steak. Me too. You had a steak before you used to have a steak. I mean, oh Christ, steak, you can have a steak. I never had a steak. I didn't really have too many steaks before that. So why not? Do you not feel heavy on the field? Steak and chips. I didn't feel any different. Really? But obviously, well, not much later than that. It became, you know, you'd have a bit of pasta or something.
3:59Patrick Vieira:That's what we... This is why I can't take your era seriously. Steak and chips before a game. He doesn't mention chips, did he? I can't, I'm sorry. Chips as well? Yeah, steak and chips. Steak and chips.
4:10Micah Richards:I had steak, but I didn't have the chips.
4:12Patrick Vieira:I don't... Imagine you would have been professional. No, this is my point.
4:17Alan Shearer:You would have had more goals. Obviously. But imagine putting a player now when they've been body coddled and treated properly. Body coddled? And then put into our era of steak and chips and out you go somewhere. The fact of like a bloated belly. No, no, no. And off you go and dodging there. You're fosters. We were also told not to work on our upper bodies because it will make you immobile. Nonsense. so therefore we had no benefit of all the scientific knowledge that they now have in the game imagine how fucking good I would have been you would have been
4:48Patrick Vieira:bloody good eh
4:49Alan Shearer:in the modern game how many goals for England 40 48 I got 48 but you know I'd be more I'd be more I'd be more I'd be more in the hundreds I guess I guess but no there's serious differences and that's why it's so difficult to compare players from different eras
5:08Patrick Vieira:so how many goals would you score in this era under Wenger if you had Wenger as a manager he brings you in he strips you how much did you weigh back then would you say let's go in kg his body
5:20Micah Richards:his body was about 11 stone but his lugs were about 3
5:26Micah Richards:sorry guys
5:33Patrick Vieira:anyway yes so what was your battle 70 I was going to say about 75 kg 80 so he could have got you down to a lean 75 you'd have been stronger faster i would have been up because i'd had no
5:47Alan Shearer:muscle mass up top because we were told not to work on upper body training when i was young it was ridiculous that's why you don't you know now all the players are ripped something you you see a shirt off in my era very few you get the odd one that was but everyone was like just a normal you know it's so weird dad bod yeah and you know they were so wrong about it back then So wrong about the food that you eat before matches, the kind of training that we did. It was all just flawed. I mean, it's funny, isn't it? Now you're looking at Patrick Vieira and you're looking at even that now. You'd say in those days, it's just messed up.
6:25Alan Shearer:The game just continues to evolve. But he did change things.
6:28Micah Richards:He was like a proper athlete as well, of Vieira. I mean, yeah. Long legs. Just non-stop as well for the whole of the game. Yeah, big long legs getting in the way.
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7:29Patrick Vieira:And it doesn't stop there. Switch to Fuse Energy, and you could have your question answered on the show.
7:34Alan Shearer:Sign up to Fuse Energy at FuseEnergy.com slash football. Use the referral code FOOTBALL. And you could also win a 1990 England shirt signed by the three of us. The rest is football. Let's do our first moment. It's really about the rivalry of Arsenal and Manchester United and that fabulous goal there.
7:58Micah Richards:Comes out to Patrick Vieira. That's another really special goal. It's another Frenchman. Look at his shoulders, though. Yeah. Keeper should have saved that. That was a great strike, that was. Is that Schmeichel? Schmeichel. Peter Schmeichel, yeah.
8:17Alan Shearer:There's a slight deflection. Not many times you could see that. There's a slight deflection, though. No. Yes, I think there was. No, there wasn't. Oh, come on. He was begging into the top back. I think it's whoever it is right at the back. Right, running. Oh, maybe. Not sure. Maybe not. Not sure. Maybe it was as sweet as it looked. Beautiful. Beautiful strike. and that rivalry was something. Who was better? Kino or Vieira? Kino and Vieira. You played against both of them, didn't you?
Read the full transcript
8:43Micah Richards:Yeah, I did play against both of them. Have you ever seen... I don't know.
8:46Alan Shearer:Have you ever seen the Kino and Vieira documentary? Yes. Made by... You? Tony Pasta. Was it? Yeah, in the early days, very, very early days. Is that when you nicked him to come here? No, he nicked me. Oh, he nicked you, did he? Well, no, we just made... You know, we got together.
9:02Micah Richards:who was better
9:03Alan Shearer:Kino Vieira who was better erm okay let's go technically Vieira
9:11Micah Richards:Vieira
9:12Alan Shearer:I don't know there's not much in it I don't think there's a lot
9:14Micah Richards:in it at all between the ball
9:16Alan Shearer:in all ways I think tackler oof I wouldn't want to tackle either would you well you'd be alright wouldn't you would you fancy yourself in a tackle against which one no no none of them no just the same how you came head to head against Particularly keen.
9:33Micah Richards:I just think it was those long legs that were gangly legs that used to get you all the time on tackling. I don't know. They were both nasty at times, weren't they?
9:41Patrick Vieira:Football intelligence. Is it just saying or not?
9:44Micah Richards:I just said. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
9:45Patrick Vieira:You said Vieira?
9:46Alan Shearer:Only in terms of, I've heard him talk about the game a lot and I've heard Roy talk about the game a lot. But when Roy talks about the game, I never hear anything tactical. I don't see him talking analytically. Obviously, Vieira, they both went into management and neither of them particularly successful. And I wonder, I mean, but I did interview Patrick in New York when he was in charge of New York City. And he was really interested tactically. Well, I've never seen Roy do a real analytical piece of television. He does behind the scene. He does. so he might well do and it's the same with Patrick I've never heard him do it either but when I spoke to him but I've never really worked I did one game with Roy once and it was great but so why doesn't he do it on Sky I mean he plays Roy Keane and he does it and he is his absolute box office and he's much listened to and his opinions are strong but I've never seen him dissected I think it's a format because Sky
10:55Patrick Vieira:is say it was like of Monday Night Football. He did one Monday Night Football that was really interesting. But don't forget, you don't really get, you get time, but you're talking an opinion on something.
11:06Alan Shearer:Gary Neville will do it. Jamie Carragher does it in particular.
11:09Patrick Vieira:I think he just enjoys the strong opinion, you know? I think that's just what gets him going, you know? Because he was such a great player and when he sees people not doing the basics correctly, it frustrates him. I wonder what they like
11:26Micah Richards:comparable with goals. in terms of the both of them would score them.
11:29Patrick Vieira:Ooh, Roy got more than you think, actually, because I always take the mick at him saying he didn't score that many goals. I'm sure he got something
11:35Alan Shearer:like 80-odd goals. Their goal-scoring records actually in the Premier League are very similar, ratio-wise. Both played over 300 games, obviously, so they are quite similar. I played against Roy. Did you? Yeah. He was at Forest. A couple of times, two or three times, and you could see that this young kid was going to be something special.
11:53Micah Richards:That would have been, what, 91?
11:55Alan Shearer:91 FA Cup final. Right. Oh, wow. We played in that, which we won. What did you see in him? You could just... He looked a bit Brian Robson, a little bit. I think Brian was better going forward. Well, scoring more goals, probably more all round. Brian, for me, was, in terms of the box-to-box players, while we're on that subject, he would be my number one. And then Keane and Vieira, those that would be up there as well, I would say. You could see his competitiveness. he's you know he covered the ground he was leadership he wasn't long it's hard to say you know you're playing a game against someone actually he's just coming through so he's very young but you could you know there was a lot of talk about him he's just got some
12:43Patrick Vieira:amazing aura he's got an aura when he's going somewhere with him he's just he's not that tall
12:49Alan Shearer:but everyone's just like in awe it's because the way he talks the way he's reacted on the football pitch or the hardness he's the hard man you see and he plays up to it but he's the nicest guy ever he's the nicest man ever yeah the on screen Roy Keane is slightly different I think to the the off screen I mean he plays it brilliantly and he's great television I think yeah he's a box office isn't he I always used to look at other pundits from other things and people say out of all of them which one would you take and I always used to say Roy Keane because he's a box office because he's something different he's got that you know Yeah.
13:27Alan Shearer:Totally agree.
13:28Micah Richards:Some rivalry, wasn't it, over the years with those two?
13:30Patrick Vieira:Yeah. But I used to like the way Roy used to just pull his team together. You remember in the tunnel? And he was just like, you're picking on Nev. Yeah. And he just stood up to him. I was like, ooh, that was iconic, that. Arsenal won a title or two. Yes.
13:47Alan Shearer:With Patrick Vieira. Invincible. He scored, obviously, in the title-clinching derby. Patrick did I think it finished 2-2 this game look at his
13:58Patrick Vieira:long legs getting in there
14:00Alan Shearer:gliding in he needed long legs to reach that one yeah I don't
14:05Patrick Vieira:think he's appreciated for this side as well he scored important goals there you go you got off a chance with
14:11Alan Shearer:those lot
14:12Patrick Vieira:look at that
14:13Alan Shearer:team Perez
14:14Patrick Vieira:Burkham Henry
14:18Alan Shearer:Vieira what a squad that was it was one of the best teams around that we played
14:23Micah Richards:90 98 FA Cup final against that Arsenal team and they won the double
14:30Patrick Vieira:who was you up against centre back who was centre back
14:33Micah Richards:Tony Adams might have been Martin Keown
14:36Patrick Vieira:he's an underrated player I'm going a little bit off topic Keown was good he was a good player he was strong wasn't he and aggressive
14:44Micah Richards:yeah he was
14:46Alan Shearer:underrated the one thing they've still not won one one thing that's missing obviously league titles FA Cups as you mentioned no Champions League I mean that's that's probably an area that Roy has the edge on obviously although Roy didn't play in the final
15:03Patrick Vieira:he didn't play in the final
15:04Alan Shearer:he was suspended wasn't he I thought he won a Champions League yeah they lost in the quarterfiles that game against Chelsea didn't they with Patrick in the Champions League
15:14Micah Richards:you know that invincible team as well when you go through that that is like some achievement that is isn't it do you think that'll ever be done again no
15:22Alan Shearer:No, I don't think so. I think it was, I mean, no, surely not. No, I don't think so. Particularly now, I think, because, I mean, it was incredible then and it was a remarkable achievement. But I think nowadays with, I think the clubs have got more money and been able to buy better players in the bottom half or the middle half of teams.
15:46Micah Richards:Yeah, yeah.
15:46Alan Shearer:Whereas I think if you go past in 20 years ago, If you go past the teams in the top six or seven spots, I think there's quite a drop-off. Yeah, agrees. I'm not taking anything away from their teams. I'm just saying one of the reasons why I think it's very unlikely to happen. I mean, I can imagine doing that now. Going into a game thinking, knowing you're not going to lose. Yeah. God, another one of these great goals against Newcastle. What have we got into your life? Maybe.
16:14Micah Richards:Was you playing in this one?
16:16Alan Shearer:Yeah, this was 1998.
16:20Micah Richards:Anelka. Fiera, four forward for Arsenal. My word! Patrick Fiera, with an absolutely marvellous goal. A third here that should make absolutely sure of the three points. I'd have been playing this one, I think, yeah. Oh, what a goal. Strike. Wow. You were playing, weren't you? I think I was playing. You remember it? you can't I can't I can't Stuart Pearce is that Pearce yeah what a strike that is phew
16:56Alan Shearer:Karl asking for the ball there
16:58Micah Richards:unbelievable isn't it
17:00Alan Shearer:they went on to win that was the first league win wasn't it that season wow brilliant
17:05Micah Richards:great strike you could do that though
17:07Patrick Vieira:where was you again on there
17:09Micah Richards:probably 20 yards behind again watching it fly in the top corner
17:14Patrick Vieira:blabbing someone else probably yeah yeah
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19:26Alan Shearer:Do you think, I mean obviously he brought in quite a few Frenchmen Do you think they've been the most influential country in our game? if you think the amount of players the number of players that have come into the Premier League and I can't I mean after that probably Spain yeah the players that Germany have come not too many have done brilliantly yeah but I think the French somehow why do you think that is maybe because Wenger was one of the first yeah foreign managers
20:03Patrick Vieira:it's a good question that maybe because the French league is a physical league in terms of output up and down
20:12Alan Shearer:you know it's a mix between the Spanish league which is very technical and the English league which is very physical loads of athletes in the French league
20:20Patrick Vieira:loads if you watch the games the quality is not that great at times you don't see that many combinations but you see loads of athletes and also probably
20:28Alan Shearer:their league it's a very strong league but it's not it's a league where the best players will still leave it. Yes. Mostly, apart from unless they stick at PSG. Yeah, because a lot of people want to go to Barcelona and Real Madrid. They're either going to big clubs in Spain and it used to be the big clubs in Italy but that's probably not quite so much the case now. There's lots of French players playing in Italy. So, yeah, it's an interesting one, isn't it? I think they've probably had the biggest influence on our game. Definitely. In terms of coaching as well, that and the Spanish with Pep. Pep and Arsene, I think those two have probably influenced the game more than any other managers that have come from abroad.
21:12Alan Shearer:Mourinho? Yeah, I'm not sure he's influenced the style of our football, though. I think Mourinho played very much to the English way of, in a way, slightly more tactical, more defensive. But let's move on to the fourth moment. This is a lovely little one-two, really.
21:36Micah Richards:Patrick Vieira who keeps on running and here he is Vieira brilliant goal brilliant team effort rounded off by the skipper Arsenal are level
21:49Alan Shearer:a lovely little give and go wow third man run they call that one two there you go little dink left foot it's just an example of the sort of football that A, Arsenal played and B, Patrick Vieira could play.
22:08Patrick Vieira:It was so entertaining back then though, wasn't it?
22:10Micah Richards:That is such a clever finish as well. I know, yeah. The build-up was brilliant with the finish. Yeah, that's what it was.
22:17Alan Shearer:Jamie Carragher's doing here, by the way. Where is Carragher? He's there, look, look.
22:23Patrick Vieira:Oh, he got it. He was in two minds, wasn't he? Brilliant. Brilliant goal, eh? I'll be showing him that. I'm going to show him that.
22:33Alan Shearer:I'll send you that clip. Yes, please. Clip it up.
22:36Patrick Vieira:They keep mentioning us on their pod, don't they?
22:39Alan Shearer:No, they keep little swipes. They're obsessed. If they do, we'll dig out the footage. Yes. There he is, look that.
22:44Patrick Vieira:Oh, where's he going? No.
22:46Alan Shearer:Come on, Calder.
22:48Patrick Vieira:Is he nuts? Yeah,
22:52Alan Shearer:send me that clip. Vieira was a box-to-box player. You've got people like Roy Keane. You've got Brian Robson, Stephen Gerrard. where's where's Vieira in that pecking order
23:04Patrick Vieira:Steven Gerrard's my number one yeah he's my number one yeah I just think he could do everything
23:09Micah Richards:you wouldn't have seen much of Brian Robson though
23:11Patrick Vieira:no that's Brian Robson was
23:14Micah Richards:brilliant at that wasn't he
23:16Patrick Vieira:that good I've told you I've told you this story
23:18Alan Shearer:but I'm going to tell it again because there's always a fresh audience that I broke into the England team and I was and Brian Robson's like like a bit of a hero and anyway we got fairly friendly and then we played we played a game at Old Trafford it was a midweek cup tie I think and I was playing for Leicester pretty much my last year at Leicester I think and before the game Gordon Milne was our coach stroke manager and he said I want you to come back from from corners which was very unusual he said just stand on the edge of the box because Brian Robson's been doing that with Adam Lwatched so I went do you want do you want me to mark Brian Robson and I was going what he went yeah yeah don't worry he's not going to go he's not been going in the box and they've had one or two goals where the ball's been cleared and he said I just want you to kind of monitor him there and I went so two stories the game kicks off ten minutes in they get a corner I march back there was Brian on the edge of the box as it was said so I so I come back and I go next to him, Robbo starts laughing.
24:32He's going,
24:34Alan Shearer:he's going, what are you doing? I went, they want me to mark you. So he just went.
24:44Alan Shearer:So first corner comes in, he doesn't stand on the edge of the box does he? Fucking plows in, so I'm running back with him. And he hits the bar, goes over and I'm in the, like he knocks me on the floor like this. And I looked over at the bench, like this and I'm going like this. I told you. Anyway. So next 15 minutes later, another corner trashes me, smashes me, heads it, scores the goal. So I go in at half time and I said, I told you go in the box if I'm not. And he said, Gary, stay up from corners.
25:19Alan Shearer:He didn't score though, did he? He did. He did score the second one. And me went in the net. Oh, he went in the net. And me went in the net. Yeah, yeah, he scored. The ball. I mean, Robbo was unbelievably aggressive. I mean, he's no real bigger than me or anything, but he's just got that. So how old is he compared to you? Robbo's a few years older than me. He'd probably be late 60s, wouldn't he?
25:39Micah Richards:Great blood as well. He's been with Terry Venables in England as a coach.
25:44Alan Shearer:Oh, he was number two with Terry, wasn't he?
25:45Micah Richards:He was number two with Terry Venables in 96. And the lads loved him, loved everything about him, how he was, and just the respect that he got.
25:54Alan Shearer:Without injuries, and I know this is, you know you can never prove this but without injuries because we lost him in both 86 and 90 during the tournaments I think we'd have won one of them I think I think 90 with a fit Brian Robson did he like a few bevies yeah I think it's safe to say yep I don't think he'd mind saying that Robbo likes a few right let's our fifth and final moment with Patrick Vieira was well his final bow really and he went out in some style.
26:28Micah Richards:Edu. And Percy Bergkamp. Oh, and Arsenal have walked it in through Patrick Vieira. It's another beautiful goal here at Highbury for the home side. Another clever finish again, isn't it? That's the finish of a centre four.
26:49Patrick Vieira:Oh, wow. Classy. Spin on the ball.
26:52Alan Shearer:That was the last league goal he scored for the club.
26:54Micah Richards:Oh, that was his last league goal, was it?
26:56Alan Shearer:Yeah, he did get the winning penalty in that 2005 FA Cup final against Manchester United and then went to Juve. To Juve. He left at 29. Some people think maybe he left before. Maybe they could have gone on and perhaps won a Champions League or something. He had a problem with his knee. Oh, is that what it was? That's what it was. He was never quite the same heights after that, was he, in Italy and then came back to Manchester City. Oh, it was great. Where you played with him? we played in so what year
27:25Micah Richards:was that what year were you at City
27:27Patrick Vieira:so 2011 because he won the FA Cup that year what was he like
27:34Alan Shearer:Mike off the pitch oh my gosh elegant
27:37Patrick Vieira:he just we had a trip to Milano didn't we first time I'd been on a private jet really I was shitting myself who's private jet well he he sorted all that out you know what I mean I wouldn't put my money in my pocket for that to hell I don't ever like flying We went there and honestly, he was like a god out there, could have been playing for obviously, Inter and then he was at Juve. Then we went to a place called...
28:08Micah Richards:There's a sign.
28:10Patrick Vieira:There's a sign. Yeah, that's basically saying, don't tell the real story.
28:16Micah Richards:You better stop there.
28:19Patrick Vieira:Oh God, I'm looking forward to the story now. And we went to a place called Yakut. Yakut. It was like belly dancing. Oh, that kind of club. He wasn't a strip club. I think you should make that clear. No, it wasn't. It wasn't a strip club. And then there was just women everywhere, flocking. I've never seen anything like it in my life. And he was obviously professional. and he said hello, sign a few things, but I, me, knockdowns for fun. And you keep it dying. I can't, I was a single man at the time. I don't care. Knockdowns for fun. We're talking models. We're not talking just karma models. We're talking...
29:23Patrick Vieira:So I'm here, so say the table's there, and there was a big, massive stage in the middle of it. And there was just women walking up and down like this. And my mouth is just open. I'm like, they're all coming to the table, and Patrick, Patrick, Patrick. And they were going, who's the clown with you? I couldn't care less. I think I said I played for Inter Milan that night.
29:54Patrick Vieira:And I got one of the best-looking women's numbers ever. And that was it. Really?
30:02Micah Richards:Yeah. We won't ask.
30:03Patrick Vieira:We won't, yeah.
30:03Alan Shearer:No, I don't want to know.
30:04Patrick Vieira:The rest is history.
30:06Alan Shearer:I couldn't wait for a podcast. That's it for this episode of The Rest is Football. Premier League greats to moments that made them. Goodbye from me. Goodbye from me. Goodbye from me.
30:48Micah Richards:We'll see you next time. Try the new wraps today in app or at order.sweetgreen.com. Available at participating locations only.
From the publisher
Patrick Vieira vs Roy Keane: Who was the better player, and what made their rivalry so iconic during the peak years of the Premier League? The guys also discuss the impact of French players on English football, did the French bring the biggest foreign influence to the Premier League, and how much of that legacy started with Vieira’s arrival at Arsenal under Arsène Wenger?
Plus, Micah shares brilliant behind-the-scenes stories about what Vieira was really like as a person, from brutal tackles in training at Manchester City to private jets and an unforgettable night out in Milan…
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