BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRO-FRENCH PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLER PATRICK VIEIRA MANAGER AT MANCHESTER CITY RESERVE TEAM : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

                        BLACK              SOCIAL           HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                                          Patrick Vieira born 23 June 1976
 is a retired French footballer of Senegalese and Cape Verdean descent, who is the Manager of the Reserves squad at Premier League club Manchester City, known as the Elite Development Squad.

He rose to prominence during a hugely successful spell at Arsenal from 1996 to 2005, where he eventually became club captain, and won three Premier League titles – one unbeaten – and four FA Cups. He transferred from Arsenal in 2005 and spent one season at Juventus, helping the team to the Serie A championship. Following Juventus' relegation for their part in a match-fixing scandal, Vieira moved toInternazionale and won three Serie A titles. He has 107 caps for France, and was part of their 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000-winning sides, as well as their runner-up finish in the 2006 World Cup.

In May 2010, Vieira was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. He announced his retirement from professional football on 14 July 2011. Vieira is currently Football Development Executive at Manchester City with a role to oversee aspects such as youth development, commercial partners and the club's social responsibility programme, "City in the Community".

Vieira's family moved from Senegal to Dreux, France, when he was eight, and he did not return to Senegal until 2003. His parents divorced when Vieira was young, and he never met his father again. His grandfather served in the French Army, making him eligible for French nationality at birth. His surname Vieira, which is Portuguese, is his mother's maiden name, who is from Cape Verde.

Club career

Cannes (1994–1996) and Milan (1996)

Vieira first played for AS Cannes, where he made his debut at the age of 17 and captained the team aged just 19. In the summer of 1995, he was signed by Italian giants Milan, though he played mainly in the reserves and made only two first-team appearances.

Arsenal

1996–20Vieira's partnership with international teammate Emmanuel Petit the following season was instrumental in helping Arsenal complete a domestic league and cup double. Vieira scored his first goal of the campaign against Manchester United in a 3–2 victory on 9 November 1997. He however, twisted his knee during the match and was ruled out from playing for a month. Vieira returned for the trip at Wimbledon on 22 December 1997, which was notably postponed due to floodlight problems. In a game against Coventry City on 16 January 1998, Vieira received his first red cardfor using "foul and abusive language" at referee Stephen Lodge. Vieira was again dismissed a month later, this time in a Football League Cup semi-final against Chelsea, a decision which Wenger described as "absolutely ridiculous." Towards the finishing straight of the campaign, Vieira helped Arsenal make ground on league leaders Manchester United and his card record had improved, "…with only one booking in the latter stages of the season." After a successful 1998 World Cup campaign with the national team, Vieira had another productive season at Arsenal in1998–99. Although Arsenal failed to retain the Premier League, Vieira’s endeavour was rewarded as he was named in the PFA Team of the Year, alongside Petit.On 10 August 1996, the Daily Mirror reported that Vieira was subject to a move to English club Arsenal, given personal terms with original suitors Ajax were not reached. He joined Arsenal four days later, in a £3.5 million move. The peculiarity of Vieira and fellow FrenchmanRémi Garde arriving at the club, coupled with manager Bruce Rioch being dismissed before the season had begun, suggested that Arsenal had exterior influence. Vieira later revealed he signed for Arsenal because his compatriot Arsène Wenger was going to be the club’s next manager: "I am delighted to be joining Arsenal at the same time as Mr Wenger becomes their coach. Being able to speak French to him will make life a lot easier for me." Wenger was officially in command of managerial affairs at Arsenal by the start of October, but Vieira had already made his mark, coming on as a substitute against Sheffield Wednesday on 16 September 1996, where a The Times match report described him as a "thinking man's Carlton Palmer … who, at last, gives the Arsenal midfield some variety." Vieira made his full debut against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium, three days after. He scored his first goal for the club against Derby County on 8 December 1996 – a late equaliser in a 2–2 draw. His performances for Arsenal in the subsequent months made him a fans’ favourite and was lauded as "…the playmaker Arsenal have sought since Paul Davis pulled the strings in the 1991 championship-winning team." Davis himself noted that in the matches Vieira was suspended during the Christmas period, Arsenal struggled to win. He ended his first season with 38 appearances in total and Arsenal finished in third place, missing out on a spot in the UEFA Champions League via goal difference.

Against West Ham United on 2 October 1999, Vieira was sent off for a second booking, after fouling striker Paolo Di Canio. He, moments after, spat at Neil Ruddock, who walked into him and was dragged off the pitch by officials. Vieira was subsequently charged, banned for six matches and fined a record £45,000 by The Football Association. The season ended in dissapointment for both Vieira and Arsenal, as the team finished 18 points behind champions Manchester United, in second place. Arsenal reached the 2000 UEFA Cup Final, which Vieira played but the team lost the match on penalties; Vieira's spot kick hit the post.

Disciplinary problems continued to beset Vieira in the 2000–01 season. He was sent off on the opening day against Sunderland

 and for the second time in 72 hours at home to Liverpool. Vieira scored two goals, the following match against Charlton Athletic, in what was his final appearance before a five-match suspension. It was feared that Vieira was prepared to turn his back on English football as he felt victimised – Wenger, several Arsenal players and fans supported him publically, amid speculation that Italian club Juventus were prepared to offer Vieira an "escape route". Vieira himself, after the ban, expressed his desire to remain at Arsenal, but noted he could never alter his style of play: "But I will never change because, basically, I don't want to change. I really enjoy English football and the life in England. I am happy here." After a group stage match against Lazio in October 2000, Vieira claimed he was the target of racial abuse fromSiniša Mihajlović, to which UEFA subsequently launched an investigation into. Mihajlović later admitted he made reference to Vieira's colour, but added that he was provoked. The player was then handed a two-match ban for "unsporting actions". With Arsenal finishing second in the league for a third consecutive season and runners-up to Liverpool in 2001 FA Cup Final, Vieira was reluctant to commit himself to the club and described the season, up until April 2001, as "average". Despite how mature his performances had become since Petit left, he criticised Arsenal's decision to sell him and Marc Overmars to Barcelona: "Of course it was good business but it was a big disappointment for me. If we still had the same team now and put Overmars and Petit in it, we would be even better and stronger. It's not that I miss Petit – the team needs him."

In May 2001, The Daily Telegraph reported that Manchester United were planning an "audacious" attempt to sign Vieira, after Ferguson, a long-term admirer of the player, was given the green light by his board to make a bid.During the summer, Vieira disparaged Arsenal's transfer activity, was adamant the club would not finish "in the top five in the league – and forget the Champions League," and said about his future: "As far as I'm concerned, the matter is resolved. I am leaving Arsenal and I have made that perfectly clear." The club refused to respond to his comments, but vice-chairman David Dein was irked at Vieira's agent, Marc Roger, for letting the situation become unsettling. Wenger however attributed the saga at the hands of Manchester United: "[They] made an approach to Patrick without contacting us, and that does not really respect the rules." Vieira turned up for pre-season training in July 2001, as normal, and was later named the club vice-captain, to ensure he would succeed Tony Adams as captain. Success finally came for Vieira in the 2001–02 season; Arsenal regained the league and beat Chelsea in the 2002 FA Cup Final to complete a second double.