Arsenal should be looking to take a calculated “gamble” on Patrick Vieira, says Ray Parlour, with a club icon considered to be a better choice to succeed Unai Emery than Mauricio Pochettino or Nuno.
The decision to make a change in the dugout has been taken at Emirates Stadium, with a Spanish coach paying the price for inconsistency.
Speculation regarding who the Gunners could turn to next has been bubbling away for some time, with various names thrown into the pot.
Pochettino, fresh from being relieved of his duties at Arsenal’s arch-rivals Tottenham, has seen his claims for an immediate return to the Premier League talked up.
Wolves boss Nuno is the choice of many, while Bournemouth’s Eddie Howe and Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers have also been mooted as potential options.
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Parlour, though, believes that Arsenal should turn to a familiar face, telling talkSPORT: “I have always said Patrick Vieira. I would take a chance with him.
“Of course it is a gamble, it is a massive gamble but every manager is a gamble.
“Look, Pep Guardiola started his career, how did Jurgen Klopp get his break?
“These sort of lucky breaks sometimes - I know for a fact he would be like Frank Lampard [at Chelsea] and the fans would give him a chance.”
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Assistant manager Freddie Ljungberg has been handed the reins on an interim basis, with Parlour backing the decision to place trust in the Swede while decisions on a more permanent appointment are made.
“Freddie Ljungberg I would have to go with at the moment,” Parlour added.
“I am sure behind the scenes they will be really sounding a few people out.
“I know the Wolves manager has been mentioned, [Mauricio] Pochettino with his payout, I’m not sure how that will work.
“I am not too sure about Eddie [Howe] at the moment but he has done a wonderful job at Bournemouth. He might not want to go. He might be happy to stay at Bournemouth.”
Arsenal slipped to a 2-1 defeat at home to Eintracht Frankfurt in their latest outing, with a Europa League reversal putting the final nail in Emery’s coffin and leaving the Gunners board with little choice but to make another change 18 months after seeing Arsene Wenger’s 22-year reign come to a close.
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