Ex-Arsenal scout says ‘particular expertise’ ought to have been the ‘subsequent Vieira’
A former Arsenal star ought to have been the following Patrick Vieira, in accordance with a longstanding membership scout.
Gilles Grimandi served the Gunners as each a participant and a expertise spotter and was answerable for in search of a variety of prospects over his 15 years within the latter position. Grimandi was additionally a team-mate of inspirational midfielder and captain Vieira, who was instrumental to the Gunners’ success within the late Nineties and early 2000s, together with the ‘Invincibles’ season of 2003/24.
Arsenal struggled to manage with out the tough-tackling midfielder, however one participant had all of the attributes to take the Frenchman’s place – Abou Diaby.
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The former Auxerre intermediary was in no way a flop, however he by no means realised his potential by turning into the inheritor to Vieira, says Grimandi, who has opened up concerning the quirky world of scouting.
“The role of a scout is funny at times because sometimes you are very positive about a player, you create your report, you’ve seen him play many, many times,” he completely instructed Ladbrokes Fanzone.
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(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC by way of Getty Images)
(Image: Phil Cole/Getty Images)
“But you turn up to see him at the club, and the player doesn’t even know you! But you think you know him like he’s your son, because you’ve seen him so many times and you’ve built this whole case for the club to sign him… sometimes for years and years. It’s just how the job goes sometimes.
“The one player who I think about a lot, who didn’t make it at the club in the way I hoped was [Abou] Diaby. He was a special talent, who did represent Arsenal 180 times over 10 years, but his body was not ready for the high level of the English game.
“I really think he could have been a top, top player, similar to the level of Patrick [Vieira]. It’s just a shame for him because I felt if he could have stayed fit, he could have been a very top player at the club.”
Diaby’s profession was hampered by quite a few repetitive accidents, with a solitary FA Cup win all he needed to present for 10 years in North London, throughout which he made solely 124 appearances within the Premier League.
