Football-Patrick Vieira handed new Man City role |18 May 2013
Vieira played the role of football development executive before taking up his new post which became vacant after the departure of Attilio Lombardo.
The move comes as the first of a number of expected changes to the former Premier League champions' coaching staff following the sacking of Roberto Mancini on Monday. Mancini's assistant David Platt and coaches Angelo Gregucci, Ivan Carminati, Fausto Salsano, Massimo Battara have also left.
Vieira's move from an administrative position underlines his desire to move into coaching after completing his UEFA B licence in 2012.
In a statement on the club's official website, former midfielder Vieira said: "After spending two years working across a number of areas of the club and with a particular focus on the youth academy, I feel honoured and privileged to have been offered this role.
"This marks a new chapter both in my career and in my life and I am looking forward to it immensely.
"My passion for the development of young talent has only grown in my time at City and I am pleased to be able to play my part in helping to shape the footballing future for Manchester City.”
Vieira, who is now hoping to attain his A licence, won the World Cup as a player in 1998 and the European Championship two years later in 107 international appearances for France.
The elite development squad is effectively the stepping stone for graduates from the club's academy with a view to breaking through to the manager's first-team squad. As such, the EDS has replaced the traditional reserve team at the club, fulfilling fixtures in the Barclays Premier League Reserve League as well as entering the Manchester senior cup and the Lancashire senior cup.
This may well be a stepping stone for Vieira as well, who we could one day see on the sidelines of the Manchester City senior squad.
S. N.