Patrick Vieira Fired by Relegation-threatened Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace's head coach Patrick Vieira applauds during the English Premier League match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace, at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023. (AP)
Crystal Palace's head coach Patrick Vieira applauds during the English Premier League match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace, at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023. (AP)
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Patrick Vieira Fired by Relegation-threatened Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace's head coach Patrick Vieira applauds during the English Premier League match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace, at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023. (AP)
Crystal Palace's head coach Patrick Vieira applauds during the English Premier League match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace, at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023. (AP)

Patrick Vieira was fired by Crystal Palace on Friday with the team having been dragged into the Premier League’s relegation fight.

Palace is in 12th place in the 20-team league but is only five points ahead of last-place Southampton.

The team has lost three straight league games and has no wins in any competition in 2023.

“It is with enormous regret that this difficult decision has been made,” Palace chairman Steve Parish said. “Ultimately, results in recent months have placed us in a precarious league position and we felt a change is necessary to give us the best chance of retaining Premier League status.”

Palace said the process to find Vieira’s successor has already started.

Vieira, a former Arsenal midfielder, was in the role for 20 months after being appointed in 2021. Three members of his coaching staff, Osian Roberts, Kristian Wilson and Saïd Aïgoun, have also left the club.

Vieira’s departure comes quickly after Palace’s 1-0 loss to Brighton on Wednesday, a result which heightened concerns about the team’s chances of survival this season.

A dire run of form had left Palace without a win in any competition since beating Bournemouth in the league on Dec. 31. Since then, there have been seven losses and five draws in 12 games, 11 of them coming in the league.

Because the league's bottom places are so congested, 12th-place Palace is only three points above the relegation zone.

Vieira led Palace to a 12th-place finish last season and also to the FA Cup semifinals.

“Patrick’s impact since joining us in the summer of 2021 has been significant, and he is held in the highest regard by myself, and all of his colleagues,” Parish said. “Patrick has given his all to the club, and we all thank him and his team for their service.”



'Not at the Level': Atletico Left to Ruminate after Club World Cup KO

Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann and his team-mate Julian Alvarez react after Club World Cup elimination on Monday. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP
Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann and his team-mate Julian Alvarez react after Club World Cup elimination on Monday. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP
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'Not at the Level': Atletico Left to Ruminate after Club World Cup KO

Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann and his team-mate Julian Alvarez react after Club World Cup elimination on Monday. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP
Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann and his team-mate Julian Alvarez react after Club World Cup elimination on Monday. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP

For all the excuses -- and there have been many -- one line from Antoine Griezmann cut straight to the heart of the matter after Atletico Madrid's Club World Cup elimination.

"We have to look at ourselves and see that there are times when we are not at the level and we have to resolve that," said the veteran French forward.

Griezmann's goal earned Atletico a 1-0 win over Botafogo on Monday but the Brazilian side progressed ahead of the Spaniards on goal difference to reach the Club World Cup last 16, reported AFP.

Atletico were left licking their wounds, just like they were after failing to win a major trophy this season.

Their controversial Champions League last 16 elimination by Real Madrid after Julian Alvarez's "double-touch" penalty left Atletico raging at referees, UEFA and their arch-rivals.

They spiraled and blamed that for their capitulation in La Liga, which they led at Christmas, while Simeone insisted a Copa del Rey semi-final defeat by Barcelona was something the club had to accept.

"We are trying to keep improving to get closer and closer to the teams above us and to accept the place we are," said the Argentine coach.

However Atletico, who won La Liga in 2014 and 2021, and finished runners-up in the 2014 and 2016 Champions League final, have been far closer to the elite than they are right now.

Some players at the club understand that, like Griezmann and goalkeeper Jan Oblak, while others do not seem to.

"We'll keep rattling the cages of those at the top," pledged Marcos Llorente after the group stage elimination in the United States.

Atletico were upset that some penalty appeals were ignored during the win over Botafogo in Pasadena.

"I've never seen anything like it, to be honest, I think we should have been awarded two penalties," complained winger Giuliano Simeone, the coach's son.

"I think the decisions are not favoring us at all -- in all the debatable ones, we have to play against that."

'It takes work'

It was Atletico's opening 4-0 thrashing by Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain that cost them qualification and also showed how far they are from the game's peak.

Simeone has been in charge since 2011 and many would say he is the greatest coach in the club's history, but in recent years questions have grown around whether he is the man to drive Atletico further.

The last trophy they won was La Liga four years ago.

"I'm sad to be eliminated, we got six points from three games. We won two," said Simeone.

As has so often proven the case in recent years, it was not enough.

In some quarters of the Spanish media, former Rojiblanco defender Filipe Luis, coach of Brazilian side Flamengo -- who have made it through to the last 16 -- has been linked as a future Atletico coach.

"They've had a long season... let's hope the next one is better for them," said retired Atletico great Sergio Aguero, but with the team not progressing, some fans are losing their hope.

Griezmann, who signed a new contract with Atletico at the start of the summer and ended a 18-game goal drought against Botafogo, believes it will take elbow grease.

"It takes work, and it's a problem deeper and more to do within the team than the referees," he added, as Atletico packed their bags for home.

"We have to focus on what we have to improve, on what we have to do to win these games."