Patrick Vieira makes honest admission about Manchester City ahead of second season

Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira has credited his early coaching success to Manchester City and revealed the club wanted to keep him when it became clear his playing days were over.

Vieira has enjoyed a largely successful first season at Selhurst and is now looking forward to taking the team for preseason and getting them ready for the season ahead.

The former Arsenal midfielder was first handed a chance to be a manager for the Manchester City developmental side.

After impressing there, he got his breakthrough job with Manchester City’s sister club New York City.

He then jumped at the chance to be the manager of French side OGC Nice where he helped them to an impressive seventh placed finish in the league.

His second season did not go as planned but he has been a breath of fresh air in south London, helping the team to their semi-final place in the FA Cup and a 12th place finish in the league.

He admits it’s been a long way to the Premier League but was grateful for the opportunity given him by Manchester City.

The Crystal Palace boss told BT Sports : “I was at the end of my career and moving to City, they allowed me to be who I am today as a coach.

“In the way I played for City, and I was at the end of my career, it was a time where City was growing as a football club.

“They offered me a pathway after my career, experience, something to do with them and I never found out what was the thing.

“They gave me the opportunity to spend two years in every department in the football club and after the two years to find out what I really like because they wanted to keep me part of the City family and be involved.”