Patrick Vieira has effectively ruled himself out of the running to be the next Newcastle United manager.
The Telegraph reported last week that the OGC Nice manager is on the Magpies’ shortlist as they hunt down a replacement for Rafa Benitez, who has now left St James’ Park after his contract expired.
However Newcastle’s hopes of hiring Vieira look set to be dashed, judging by the Frenchman’s latest comments on his future at Nice.
“I’m at Nice for the long run. I do not intend to go elsewhere,” said Vieira, as quoted by Sky Sports via their live transfer blog on Monday [01:40pm].
“I have always felt good here and with the people around me. I do not see myself anywhere other than OGC Nice.”
OPINION
Newcastle need to find themselves a manager as soon as possible. They have already wasted a good chunk of the summer by failing to clear up Benitez’s future earlier than they did and that has left Mike Ashley and Lee Charnley with a lot of work to do. Vieira’s name is one that will now have to be crossed off the club’s shortlist to replace Benitez. The ex-Arsenal midfielder has done a decent job in management in spells at New York City and Nice, so it would have been interesting to see him return to England to take the hotseat at St James’ Park. It would have been a risky, slightly left-field appointment by Ashley, but it might have been one that could have worked out for the Magpies. Newcastle fans are unlikely to be in complete agreement over whether or not Vieira would have been a good hire, but that debate seems useless now with him basically out of contention.
