Patrick Vieira Called Me an ‘Idiot’
TIM SHERWOOD reflects on the moment Patrick Vieira called him an IDIOT – although at that time, he was actually offering some advice to his Arsenal colleague Emmanuel Petit.
The former England international Sherwood co-stars in The Sun’s new and thrilling show Greatest Of All Teams, hosted by Sun Vegas.
In the latest episode, he reminisces about a moment in the tunnel just before a North London derby between Tottenham and Arsenal.
Sherwood speaks highly of Vieira: “One of the best. He could do it all.”
“During my time at Tottenham, I always sought ways to gain an advantage in the tunnel, even before the match began.
“It was just some friendly banter. ‘Look at them coming out.’”
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“I would whisper in Emmanuel Petit’s ear, and he often responded with banter.
“And I distinctly recall Patrick gazing straight ahead and telling Manu, ‘Just ignore that idiot.’”
In this episode, Sherwood also shares the intriguing tale of how Zinedine Zidane and Christophe Dugarry nearly joined Blackburn – three years before winning the World Cup with France.
Sherwood captained Rovers to their Premier League title in 1994-95.
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The new manager Ray Harford aimed to build on the club’s triumph by enhancing the squad.
However, owner Jack Walker did not believe they needed Zidane – claiming they already had Sherwood in midfield.
Sherwood recalled: “There was a significant transition following our league victory. It felt almost like a relief to have achieved that.”
“Arsenal eventually pushed through after two close calls.”
“Their strategy was to acquire new talent. We did not follow that route.
“There was an opportunity to sign Dugarry and Zidane. I remember them touring Blackburn’s training ground.
“Jack Walker stated, ‘Why do we need Zidane? We’ve got Tim Sherwood.’
“Zidane… it’s somewhat embarrassing to reflect on it honestly.
“Jack was known to enjoy a drink, and perhaps he had overindulged that day.
“Zidane could have spent some time on the bench, observed my play, and learned about the Premier League. I could have shown him the best pubs in Blackburn.
“But I should clarify, that wasn’t the Zidane we see today. He was a young Zidane back then.
“However, being the reigning Premier League champions and a significant club, it’s surprising that players wouldn’t want to join. They still want to come now.
“You must lay the foundation. If you have the chance to recruit superstars of that caliber from France, that’s an opportunity that should have been seized.”
Manchester United fan and content creator Flex joined co-hosts StevoTheMadman and Sherwood in The Sun’s G.O.A.T studio.
He was tasked with assembling his best XI, choosing one player from each random selection of 11 teams throughout the history of the Premier League.
However, after landing Declan Rice early, things took a downturn before he managed to secure a late signing of Mo Salah to attempt to salvage his team – but would that be enough to compete for the Champions League, or was relegation to the Championship on the horizon?
Visit YouTube now for all the choices, stories, and Premier League nostalgia in the full episode of Greatest of All Teams.
‘Greatest of All Teams,’ sponsored by Sun Vegas, where creators and former footballers are challenged to build their dream squad from the Premier League era and determine where they would finish.
Every week, Tim Sherwood and Stevo The Madman invite their guests to select an all-time Premier League XI since 1992, based on a random draw of players and clubs generated by our supercomputer. Each guest’s team is then simulated through a season to calculate its potential points total. Each guest’s score is recorded on a leaderboard to determine who ultimately prevails.
Filled with nostalgia from the “Barclaysmen” era and plenty of laughter, the show combines deep football insights with imaginative scenarios for fans across generations.
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