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Taken from Football365:-
Vieira 11/6/2000: ``I have had four great years with Arsenal, but maybe now is the time for a change. I want to experience something else. I love Arsenal and the fans, but I have to consider what is now best for my career. I know the likes of Juventus are interested in me.''
Vieira 13/08/2000: ``Manu [Petit] and Marc [Overmars] leaving [for Barcelona] was a huge surprise to me. I prefer to stay here and learn what I have to learn to go to that next step up. I think Arsenal are improving and want to move up as well. My ambition is to stay here and grow with the club.''
Arsene Wenger 16/08/2000 after Bordeaux cheekily try and engineer a swap deal of Sylvain Wiltord for Vieira: ``We want him to be forever at Arsenal, we want him to be at the club on a long-term basis. I had the chairman of Bordeaux on the phone last night again, and he just wanted to tell me `give me Vieira for Wiltord and we have a deal'. But I said `no, this is not the case. We want to keep Vieira'.''
Vieira 10/11/2000: ``I can't imagine leaving Arsenal unless the club tells me, `Patrick, we don't want you any more'. I'm playing for an ambitious club that wants to become the best in Europe, which wants to hunt trophies. I share those ambitions. I'm living in a city where I've adapted very well. Why take the risk to go elsewhere?''
Vieira 19/12/2000: ``I would not return [to Italy], no, absolutely not. Although there are large teams in Italy which are interested in me, I will not return. There is an intolerable atmosphere of the racism which prevails and I grew up in an atmosphere of equal rights.''
Vieira 16/01/2001: ``I'm so happy here, I have four years left on my contract, and there is no chance I will leave here.''
Vieira 18/04/2001: ``I'm under contract until 2004 but I always say that you never know in football. Anything can happen.''
Vieira 26/04/2001: ``I want to make it clear to every Arsenal fan that I have no intention of going to Italy or anywhere else. I became a better player after coming to England under Arsene Wenger so why should I even consider leaving Arsenal?''
Arsenal Vice-Chairman David Dein 20/06/2001: ``Patrick Vieira is an Arsenal player and he is not for sale at any price.''
Vieira's Agent Marc Roger 23/06/2001: ``I was in the meeting when Patrick told Arsene Wenger and David Dein he wants to leave. He wanted to tell them face to face. They are fully aware of his intentions to move on and they know the score.''
Vieira 25/06/2001: ``I need to leave because I want to win more trophies and I just cannot see that happening at Arsenal. Certainly not over the next few years, anyway. Comparing Arsenal to the big clubs in Europe this season is going to be quite ridiculous. I do not honestly see Arsenal finishing in the top five in the league - and you can forget the Champions League. Arsene Wenger has signed two 'hopeful' players [Francis Jeffers and Giovanni van Bronckhorst] who haven't proved themselves in the Premiership yet. One of them is a boy of 20.''
Chairman Peter Hill-Wood 27/06/2001 on reports linking Vieira with Manchester United: ``Sadly from the comments coming from him and his agent, he seems determined to leave - but he will not dictate to us who we do business with. Selling one of our best players to our closest rivals would not make any sense. We have not agreed to sell him and, anyway, Manchester United is out of the question.''
Wenger 16/07/2001: ``The critical words about Arsenal which were in the paper and attributed to Vieira did not come from his mouth. Not one word. He has already confirmed that to me.''
Wenger 18/07/2001: ``He is the umbilical cord between the team and the fans and that is why the fans are suffering today. Letting him go would be a sign of lack of ambition.''
Manchester Chief Executive Peter Kenyon 18/07/2001 refutes claim from Wenger that the Red Devils made an illegal approach for Vieira: ``I did speak to Arsenal in our interest and that was as far as it went. We made it quite clear we were interested if the player were available. I approached the club and that was the correct procedure.''
Vieira 12/08/2001: ``Yes, it was possible that I would leave in the summer. It is possible for me to leave at the end of next season. In football - like life - anything can happen. It is also possible for me to stay here for the next 10 years. The crucial thing is that no-one will ever get me to do what I don't want to do.''
Vieira 06/10/2001: ``Juventus, Real Madrid and Manchester United are all chasing me. But I can't deny the Juventus offer is the really interesting one.''
Arsenal Full-Back Lauren 09/11/2001: ``Patrick has asked me continually about Madrid, the club, the Spanish La Liga and Spanish football in general. He has also asked what it is like playing in Spain and about life in general in the country.''
Vieira 08/12/2001: ``Arsenal have given me a lot since I joined the club. I hope I have given them the same. I've achieved so much since I joined, I feel I have a responsibility to them. I feel really happy, really comfortable at the club and with the people I work with, the players, the fans. The spirit and atmosphere at the club is really good.''
Hill-Wood17/01/2002: ``From what has been coming out it seems Patrick has met Real Madrid. It is very irritating when you take a lot of time and trouble to sort out lucrative deals with players and then find out it is a waste of your time.''
Wenger 20/01/2002: ``If we were offered £50million for Patrick we would not take the money.''
Vieira 21/03/2002: ``I have two years left on my contract and the only way I will leave is if the club tell me they don't want me to stay any more.''
Dein 29/04/2002: ``If a player wants to be difficult, invariably he gets his move, but we don't want that to happen. Patrick is under contract and we expect him to honour that. There will be a conversation with Arsene and Patrick, and I am confident the player will stay with us, but you cannot say 100%.''
Vieira 01/10/02: ``Here is a scoop, I am currently negotiating a contract extension with Arsenal. I am in talks to find a compromise and I can't see any reason why I would not stay with Arsenal.''
Vieira 11/6/2000: ``I have had four great years with Arsenal, but maybe now is the time for a change. I want to experience something else. I love Arsenal and the fans, but I have to consider what is now best for my career. I know the likes of Juventus are interested in me.''
Vieira 13/08/2000: ``Manu [Petit] and Marc [Overmars] leaving [for Barcelona] was a huge surprise to me. I prefer to stay here and learn what I have to learn to go to that next step up. I think Arsenal are improving and want to move up as well. My ambition is to stay here and grow with the club.''
Arsene Wenger 16/08/2000 after Bordeaux cheekily try and engineer a swap deal of Sylvain Wiltord for Vieira: ``We want him to be forever at Arsenal, we want him to be at the club on a long-term basis. I had the chairman of Bordeaux on the phone last night again, and he just wanted to tell me `give me Vieira for Wiltord and we have a deal'. But I said `no, this is not the case. We want to keep Vieira'.''
Vieira 10/11/2000: ``I can't imagine leaving Arsenal unless the club tells me, `Patrick, we don't want you any more'. I'm playing for an ambitious club that wants to become the best in Europe, which wants to hunt trophies. I share those ambitions. I'm living in a city where I've adapted very well. Why take the risk to go elsewhere?''
Vieira 19/12/2000: ``I would not return [to Italy], no, absolutely not. Although there are large teams in Italy which are interested in me, I will not return. There is an intolerable atmosphere of the racism which prevails and I grew up in an atmosphere of equal rights.''
Vieira 16/01/2001: ``I'm so happy here, I have four years left on my contract, and there is no chance I will leave here.''
Vieira 18/04/2001: ``I'm under contract until 2004 but I always say that you never know in football. Anything can happen.''
Vieira 26/04/2001: ``I want to make it clear to every Arsenal fan that I have no intention of going to Italy or anywhere else. I became a better player after coming to England under Arsene Wenger so why should I even consider leaving Arsenal?''
Arsenal Vice-Chairman David Dein 20/06/2001: ``Patrick Vieira is an Arsenal player and he is not for sale at any price.''
Vieira's Agent Marc Roger 23/06/2001: ``I was in the meeting when Patrick told Arsene Wenger and David Dein he wants to leave. He wanted to tell them face to face. They are fully aware of his intentions to move on and they know the score.''
Vieira 25/06/2001: ``I need to leave because I want to win more trophies and I just cannot see that happening at Arsenal. Certainly not over the next few years, anyway. Comparing Arsenal to the big clubs in Europe this season is going to be quite ridiculous. I do not honestly see Arsenal finishing in the top five in the league - and you can forget the Champions League. Arsene Wenger has signed two 'hopeful' players [Francis Jeffers and Giovanni van Bronckhorst] who haven't proved themselves in the Premiership yet. One of them is a boy of 20.''
Chairman Peter Hill-Wood 27/06/2001 on reports linking Vieira with Manchester United: ``Sadly from the comments coming from him and his agent, he seems determined to leave - but he will not dictate to us who we do business with. Selling one of our best players to our closest rivals would not make any sense. We have not agreed to sell him and, anyway, Manchester United is out of the question.''
Wenger 16/07/2001: ``The critical words about Arsenal which were in the paper and attributed to Vieira did not come from his mouth. Not one word. He has already confirmed that to me.''
Wenger 18/07/2001: ``He is the umbilical cord between the team and the fans and that is why the fans are suffering today. Letting him go would be a sign of lack of ambition.''
Manchester Chief Executive Peter Kenyon 18/07/2001 refutes claim from Wenger that the Red Devils made an illegal approach for Vieira: ``I did speak to Arsenal in our interest and that was as far as it went. We made it quite clear we were interested if the player were available. I approached the club and that was the correct procedure.''
Vieira 12/08/2001: ``Yes, it was possible that I would leave in the summer. It is possible for me to leave at the end of next season. In football - like life - anything can happen. It is also possible for me to stay here for the next 10 years. The crucial thing is that no-one will ever get me to do what I don't want to do.''
Vieira 06/10/2001: ``Juventus, Real Madrid and Manchester United are all chasing me. But I can't deny the Juventus offer is the really interesting one.''
Arsenal Full-Back Lauren 09/11/2001: ``Patrick has asked me continually about Madrid, the club, the Spanish La Liga and Spanish football in general. He has also asked what it is like playing in Spain and about life in general in the country.''
Vieira 08/12/2001: ``Arsenal have given me a lot since I joined the club. I hope I have given them the same. I've achieved so much since I joined, I feel I have a responsibility to them. I feel really happy, really comfortable at the club and with the people I work with, the players, the fans. The spirit and atmosphere at the club is really good.''
Hill-Wood17/01/2002: ``From what has been coming out it seems Patrick has met Real Madrid. It is very irritating when you take a lot of time and trouble to sort out lucrative deals with players and then find out it is a waste of your time.''
Wenger 20/01/2002: ``If we were offered £50million for Patrick we would not take the money.''
Vieira 21/03/2002: ``I have two years left on my contract and the only way I will leave is if the club tell me they don't want me to stay any more.''
Dein 29/04/2002: ``If a player wants to be difficult, invariably he gets his move, but we don't want that to happen. Patrick is under contract and we expect him to honour that. There will be a conversation with Arsene and Patrick, and I am confident the player will stay with us, but you cannot say 100%.''
Vieira 01/10/02: ``Here is a scoop, I am currently negotiating a contract extension with Arsenal. I am in talks to find a compromise and I can't see any reason why I would not stay with Arsenal.''
The only TV interviews I saw - where you could actually see him speaking the words - were ones where he was stating that he'd never said any of it, and was happy at Arsenal.
Even the BBC printed this story with interviews with him along with Sky sports and ITV, I doubt very much that they would make up Interviews with him, only the The sun, star, mirror etc would stoop that low.
So the press said. But as far as I know, no-one has ever actually heard him say those words.
Vieira DID want to leave a few years back as I recall.
I haven't really heard or seen any of them, but I got them from Football365.
They're *apparently* quotes, but how many are genuine?
Only days ago, the News of the World quoted an interview with Bergkamp, saying that he was leaving Arsenal to go back to Holland at the end this season. Something which has been categorically denied by the player himself on his own official website.
So, how many of the 'quotes' attributed to Vieira were in fact genuine?
Unless any of them came from the official Arsenal website, my guess is none of them.
Only days ago, the News of the World quoted an interview with Bergkamp, saying that he was leaving Arsenal to go back to Holland at the end this season. Something which has been categorically denied by the player himself on his own official website.
So, how many of the 'quotes' attributed to Vieira were in fact genuine?
Unless any of them came from the official Arsenal website, my guess is none of them.
Taken from Football365:-
Vieira 11/6/2000: ``I have had four great years with Arsenal, but maybe now is the time for a change. I want to experience something else. I love Arsenal and the fans, but I have to consider what is now best for my career. I know the likes of Juventus are interested in me.''
Vieira 13/08/2000: ``Manu [Petit] and Marc [Overmars] leaving [for Barcelona] was a huge surprise to me. I prefer to stay here and learn what I have to learn to go to that next step up. I think Arsenal are improving and want to move up as well. My ambition is to stay here and grow with the club.''
Arsene Wenger 16/08/2000 after Bordeaux cheekily try and engineer a swap deal of Sylvain Wiltord for Vieira: ``We want him to be forever at Arsenal, we want him to be at the club on a long-term basis. I had the chairman of Bordeaux on the phone last night again, and he just wanted to tell me `give me Vieira for Wiltord and we have a deal'. But I said `no, this is not the case. We want to keep Vieira'.''
Vieira 10/11/2000: ``I can't imagine leaving Arsenal unless the club tells me, `Patrick, we don't want you any more'. I'm playing for an ambitious club that wants to become the best in Europe, which wants to hunt trophies. I share those ambitions. I'm living in a city where I've adapted very well. Why take the risk to go elsewhere?''
Vieira 19/12/2000: ``I would not return [to Italy], no, absolutely not. Although there are large teams in Italy which are interested in me, I will not return. There is an intolerable atmosphere of the racism which prevails and I grew up in an atmosphere of equal rights.''
Vieira 16/01/2001: ``I'm so happy here, I have four years left on my contract, and there is no chance I will leave here.''
Vieira 18/04/2001: ``I'm under contract until 2004 but I always say that you never know in football. Anything can happen.''
Vieira 26/04/2001: ``I want to make it clear to every Arsenal fan that I have no intention of going to Italy or anywhere else. I became a better player after coming to England under Arsene Wenger so why should I even consider leaving Arsenal?''
Arsenal Vice-Chairman David Dein 20/06/2001: ``Patrick Vieira is an Arsenal player and he is not for sale at any price.''
Vieira's Agent Marc Roger 23/06/2001: ``I was in the meeting when Patrick told Arsene Wenger and David Dein he wants to leave. He wanted to tell them face to face. They are fully aware of his intentions to move on and they know the score.''
Vieira 25/06/2001: ``I need to leave because I want to win more trophies and I just cannot see that happening at Arsenal. Certainly not over the next few years, anyway. Comparing Arsenal to the big clubs in Europe this season is going to be quite ridiculous. I do not honestly see Arsenal finishing in the top five in the league - and you can forget the Champions League. Arsene Wenger has signed two 'hopeful' players [Francis Jeffers and Giovanni van Bronckhorst] who haven't proved themselves in the Premiership yet. One of them is a boy of 20.''
Chairman Peter Hill-Wood 27/06/2001 on reports linking Vieira with Manchester United: ``Sadly from the comments coming from him and his agent, he seems determined to leave - but he will not dictate to us who we do business with. Selling one of our best players to our closest rivals would not make any sense. We have not agreed to sell him and, anyway, Manchester United is out of the question.''
Wenger 16/07/2001: ``The critical words about Arsenal which were in the paper and attributed to Vieira did not come from his mouth. Not one word. He has already confirmed that to me.''
Wenger 18/07/2001: ``He is the umbilical cord between the team and the fans and that is why the fans are suffering today. Letting him go would be a sign of lack of ambition.''
Manchester Chief Executive Peter Kenyon 18/07/2001 refutes claim from Wenger that the Red Devils made an illegal approach for Vieira: ``I did speak to Arsenal in our interest and that was as far as it went. We made it quite clear we were interested if the player were available. I approached the club and that was the correct procedure.''
Vieira 12/08/2001: ``Yes, it was possible that I would leave in the summer. It is possible for me to leave at the end of next season. In football - like life - anything can happen. It is also possible for me to stay here for the next 10 years. The crucial thing is that no-one will ever get me to do what I don't want to do.''
Vieira 06/10/2001: ``Juventus, Real Madrid and Manchester United are all chasing me. But I can't deny the Juventus offer is the really interesting one.''
Arsenal Full-Back Lauren 09/11/2001: ``Patrick has asked me continually about Madrid, the club, the Spanish La Liga and Spanish football in general. He has also asked what it is like playing in Spain and about life in general in the country.''
Vieira 08/12/2001: ``Arsenal have given me a lot since I joined the club. I hope I have given them the same. I've achieved so much since I joined, I feel I have a responsibility to them. I feel really happy, really comfortable at the club and with the people I work with, the players, the fans. The spirit and atmosphere at the club is really good.''
Hill-Wood17/01/2002: ``From what has been coming out it seems Patrick has met Real Madrid. It is very irritating when you take a lot of time and trouble to sort out lucrative deals with players and then find out it is a waste of your time.''
Wenger 20/01/2002: ``If we were offered £50million for Patrick we would not take the money.''
Vieira 21/03/2002: ``I have two years left on my contract and the only way I will leave is if the club tell me they don't want me to stay any more.''
Dein 29/04/2002: ``If a player wants to be difficult, invariably he gets his move, but we don't want that to happen. Patrick is under contract and we expect him to honour that. There will be a conversation with Arsene and Patrick, and I am confident the player will stay with us, but you cannot say 100%.''
Vieira 01/10/02: ``Here is a scoop, I am currently negotiating a contract extension with Arsenal. I am in talks to find a compromise and I can't see any reason why I would not stay with Arsenal.''
Vieira 11/6/2000: ``I have had four great years with Arsenal, but maybe now is the time for a change. I want to experience something else. I love Arsenal and the fans, but I have to consider what is now best for my career. I know the likes of Juventus are interested in me.''
Vieira 13/08/2000: ``Manu [Petit] and Marc [Overmars] leaving [for Barcelona] was a huge surprise to me. I prefer to stay here and learn what I have to learn to go to that next step up. I think Arsenal are improving and want to move up as well. My ambition is to stay here and grow with the club.''
Arsene Wenger 16/08/2000 after Bordeaux cheekily try and engineer a swap deal of Sylvain Wiltord for Vieira: ``We want him to be forever at Arsenal, we want him to be at the club on a long-term basis. I had the chairman of Bordeaux on the phone last night again, and he just wanted to tell me `give me Vieira for Wiltord and we have a deal'. But I said `no, this is not the case. We want to keep Vieira'.''
Vieira 10/11/2000: ``I can't imagine leaving Arsenal unless the club tells me, `Patrick, we don't want you any more'. I'm playing for an ambitious club that wants to become the best in Europe, which wants to hunt trophies. I share those ambitions. I'm living in a city where I've adapted very well. Why take the risk to go elsewhere?''
Vieira 19/12/2000: ``I would not return [to Italy], no, absolutely not. Although there are large teams in Italy which are interested in me, I will not return. There is an intolerable atmosphere of the racism which prevails and I grew up in an atmosphere of equal rights.''
Vieira 16/01/2001: ``I'm so happy here, I have four years left on my contract, and there is no chance I will leave here.''
Vieira 18/04/2001: ``I'm under contract until 2004 but I always say that you never know in football. Anything can happen.''
Vieira 26/04/2001: ``I want to make it clear to every Arsenal fan that I have no intention of going to Italy or anywhere else. I became a better player after coming to England under Arsene Wenger so why should I even consider leaving Arsenal?''
Arsenal Vice-Chairman David Dein 20/06/2001: ``Patrick Vieira is an Arsenal player and he is not for sale at any price.''
Vieira's Agent Marc Roger 23/06/2001: ``I was in the meeting when Patrick told Arsene Wenger and David Dein he wants to leave. He wanted to tell them face to face. They are fully aware of his intentions to move on and they know the score.''
Vieira 25/06/2001: ``I need to leave because I want to win more trophies and I just cannot see that happening at Arsenal. Certainly not over the next few years, anyway. Comparing Arsenal to the big clubs in Europe this season is going to be quite ridiculous. I do not honestly see Arsenal finishing in the top five in the league - and you can forget the Champions League. Arsene Wenger has signed two 'hopeful' players [Francis Jeffers and Giovanni van Bronckhorst] who haven't proved themselves in the Premiership yet. One of them is a boy of 20.''
Chairman Peter Hill-Wood 27/06/2001 on reports linking Vieira with Manchester United: ``Sadly from the comments coming from him and his agent, he seems determined to leave - but he will not dictate to us who we do business with. Selling one of our best players to our closest rivals would not make any sense. We have not agreed to sell him and, anyway, Manchester United is out of the question.''
Wenger 16/07/2001: ``The critical words about Arsenal which were in the paper and attributed to Vieira did not come from his mouth. Not one word. He has already confirmed that to me.''
Wenger 18/07/2001: ``He is the umbilical cord between the team and the fans and that is why the fans are suffering today. Letting him go would be a sign of lack of ambition.''
Manchester Chief Executive Peter Kenyon 18/07/2001 refutes claim from Wenger that the Red Devils made an illegal approach for Vieira: ``I did speak to Arsenal in our interest and that was as far as it went. We made it quite clear we were interested if the player were available. I approached the club and that was the correct procedure.''
Vieira 12/08/2001: ``Yes, it was possible that I would leave in the summer. It is possible for me to leave at the end of next season. In football - like life - anything can happen. It is also possible for me to stay here for the next 10 years. The crucial thing is that no-one will ever get me to do what I don't want to do.''
Vieira 06/10/2001: ``Juventus, Real Madrid and Manchester United are all chasing me. But I can't deny the Juventus offer is the really interesting one.''
Arsenal Full-Back Lauren 09/11/2001: ``Patrick has asked me continually about Madrid, the club, the Spanish La Liga and Spanish football in general. He has also asked what it is like playing in Spain and about life in general in the country.''
Vieira 08/12/2001: ``Arsenal have given me a lot since I joined the club. I hope I have given them the same. I've achieved so much since I joined, I feel I have a responsibility to them. I feel really happy, really comfortable at the club and with the people I work with, the players, the fans. The spirit and atmosphere at the club is really good.''
Hill-Wood17/01/2002: ``From what has been coming out it seems Patrick has met Real Madrid. It is very irritating when you take a lot of time and trouble to sort out lucrative deals with players and then find out it is a waste of your time.''
Wenger 20/01/2002: ``If we were offered £50million for Patrick we would not take the money.''
Vieira 21/03/2002: ``I have two years left on my contract and the only way I will leave is if the club tell me they don't want me to stay any more.''
Dein 29/04/2002: ``If a player wants to be difficult, invariably he gets his move, but we don't want that to happen. Patrick is under contract and we expect him to honour that. There will be a conversation with Arsene and Patrick, and I am confident the player will stay with us, but you cannot say 100%.''
Vieira 01/10/02: ``Here is a scoop, I am currently negotiating a contract extension with Arsenal. I am in talks to find a compromise and I can't see any reason why I would not stay with Arsenal.''