Emmanuel Petit instructed Sky Sports an Arsenal icon was useless – however he is alive and effectively
Emmanuel Petit had to apologise after he mistakenly claimed that former Arsenal player and coach Pat Rice had passed away – when the Gunners legend is alive and well
Emmanuel Petit was left red-faced after mistakenly claiming that Arsenal legend Pat Rice had died during his guest appearance on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.
Reminiscing about his time at Highbury and recalling his experiences with his former coach, Petit said “rest in peace” in reference to Rice. The blunder occurred as he recounted, “He had some fights with Pat Rice as well, rest in peace Pat,” leading to a quick correction on air.
The gaffe was gently made light of by Jamie Carragher, while presenter David Jones quickly reassured Petit and viewers, stating, “I’ve got some good news, Pat Rice sends his best,” confirming the 75-year-old is very much alive.
A mortified Petit apologised profusely: “I’m sorry! Sorry Pat. I’m confused. I’m so sorry Pat. Pat, I made a mistake, sorry.”
Rice’s storied association with the Gunners spans nearly four decades; he notched up close to 400 appearances as a player from 1967 to 1980 and later held coaching roles, including a successful stint as Arsene Wenger’s assistant. They shared triumphs in three Premier League titles and four FA Cups over their 16 years working together.
Arsenal stalwart Rice stepped down in 2012 after a monumental 44 years as player and coach. Wenger paid glowing tribute to Rice, declaring: “Pat is a true Arsenal legend and has committed almost his whole life to Arsenal Football Club, which shows huge loyalty and devotion to this club.
“I will always be indebted to him for his expert insight into Arsenal and football as a whole. On the training pitches and on matchdays, Pat has always been a passionate, loyal and insightful colleague, who we will all miss.”
Rice’s dedication was acknowledged with an MBE for services to football in the following year. Rice returned to the Gunners as a scout after battling cancer and making a full recovery.
