Mikel Arteta to Arsenal: Why Patrick Vieira is far better Arsene Wenger successor - Given
MIKEL ARTETA is far too inexperienced to replace Arsene Wenger as Arsenal manager.
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That is the verdict of ex-Newcastle goalkeeper turned Sky Sports pundit Shay Given.
Arteta is reportedly the preferred choice of Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis to take over from Arsene Wenger, who will leave in the summer.
Arteta spent five years at Arsenal between 2011 and 2016, with two of them as club captain.
He has been a coach under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City since he retired so is yet to have any managerial experience.
At least he has that experience of dropping players, picking systems, picking teams. Mikel Arteta hasn’t got that
Given believes it would be wrong to appoint the Spaniard and reckons another former Arsenal captain, Patrick Vieira, would be a better option.
Vieira is the current manager of Major League Soccer side New York City.
“He’s very inexperienced,” Given said.
“We were talking about Patrick Vieira before, he’s got that experience now of managing under-23s and of course New York City.
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“He knows about Arsenal Football Club and at least he has that experience of dropping players, picking systems, picking teams. Mikel Arteta hasn’t got that.
“Yes he’s worked under Pep Guardiola and would have learnt so much under him of course.
“But for me maybe a bit too soon.”