'Wasted talent' - Ex Crystal Palace and Arsenal man faces awkward reunion as he lands big managerial job

Former Crystal Palace manager and Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira has been appointed as the new head coach of Serie A club Genoa following his departure from Strasbourg this summer.

The 48-year-old arrives at the club with the side 17th in Serie A, teetering just one point above the relegation zone. Vieira takes over from former Italy striker Alberto Gilardino, who had been in the post since December 2022.

Genoa had won just two of their 12 league outings under Gilardino this season and had been knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Sampdoria on penalties. Vieira will work with former Premier League striker Mario Balotelli once again - the two know each other well from time at Manchester City and Inter Milan as players, with Balotelli also working under the former Eagles boss at Nice during the 2019/19 season.

Awkward reunion ahead for Arsenal legend

It's fair to say the two didn't click while working in France together, with Balotelli citing Vieira's management style as a reason for leaving Nice to join Marseille in 2019. He said: "I lived in Villefranche, and it was crazy. I was smiling every day, I went to the sea every day. It was a dream life. The problem was that the way Vieira played didn’t really suit me. I got along well with him, but on sporting matters, I didn’t agree. If I hadn’t had these problems with him, I would never have left Nice."

Vieira has had his own choice words for the talisman in the past two, reflecting on both his time working as a first team colleague of Balotelli and as his boss. He said in 2022: "I played with Mario for a couple of years. He was a kid when I was at Inter and then I played with him again at Manchester City. He's a lovely guy and I love him but of course, it was challenging to coach him at Nice because it was very frustrating to see so much talent wasted.

"As a manager, you try to get the best and the maximum out of every player, and it was really difficult to do that with him. It was frustrating, of course, that I wasn't able to do that with him, but he's somebody that I'll always love."

Vieira was appointed Crystal Palace manager in July 2021, succeeding Roy Hodgson, and spent nearly two years at Selhurst Park, but was sacked in March 2023 following a 12-game run without a win.

The former midfielder will be best remembered for taking the side to an FA Cup semi-final and signing first team stars Marc Guehi, Michael Olise and Conor Gallagher during his time at Selhurst Park.

Steve Parish explains Patrick Vieira sacking

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish opened up on his decision to sack Vieira when speaking to Kammy & Ben's Proper Football Podcast on BBC Sounds in October 2023. The Eagles chief pointed at a lack of experience in the dugout as the 'achilles heel' for Vieira that led to his sacking.

Parish said: "Patrick did very well. He got us to a cup semi-final, keeping us in the league and playing good football is an achievement, we are not one of the biggest spending clubs.

"He helped us recruit very well and created a good environment at the club. At some point you just think things are losing their way. For the record, I think we’d have been alright under Patrick, but I can’t take that risk. I need to be sure for the future of the football club.

"Unfortunately for a manager that doesn’t have a huge background, I can’t say 'he’s been in four relegation battles and turned it round'. That is an achilles heel when you are taking a younger manager. Over 13 years [in his time as Palace chairman] you’ve watched people box up a game, make it difficult for teams to beat you and knowing the attacking talent we’ve got, trying to nick a win.

"Nobody wants to make that decision. I can’t imagine anything worse than sacking anyone. Unless you’ve been sacked, people don’t know how difficult it is. It is a personal rejection; somebody is telling you you’re not good enough. That’s not true, you’re just not the right solution in that moment. Momentum builds and these things become inevitable."