Pat Rice to retire this summer?
By Randy Osae
We may be seeing the last of Pat Rice from the sidelines.
A close source from the club has hinted that Arsenal’s long-serving assistant manager is considering retirement after this 2008/09 season is done.
The 60-year-old began serving the club’s managerial role just before the appointment of Arsene Wenger – initially as caretaker manager – and has been his side-man through successes of three league titles and four FA Cups.
He had been arguably the most fitting successor for Arsenal’s current boss in sight, but it appears Rice may have seen enough of the game before his partner.
After witnessing counterpart Alex Ferguson lose his assistant Carlos Queiroz recently, Arsene Wenger and perhaps the entire faithful can be firm-minded that a club certainly can move on after such an exit.
This news is only proposed as a likelihood and there has been no confirmation of course, but Pat Rice does indeed deserve a warm farewell should he step down soon.
Welcome back Tony Adams – Defence is something wenger knows nothing about.
Steve Bould would be more likely to step up given his success with the youth team
Dennis bergkamp or Tony adams should replace him.
tony adam knows fuck all about defence as a manager,havent you been watching football this season?
Hopefully it’s not another yes man
if he wants a coach to sort his defence he might as well quit an let us get mourinho, wengers style will always end up with a soft defence,maybeone with less mistakes and panic in simple situations but hey thats the game,tony adams defended in a team with pretty much ten other defenders not one with gael clichy rvp adebayor a slow centre mid of song denilson & cesc, even ronald koeman couldnt work with the players we have to make a decent defence
Alan you make a great point because the next assistant manager needs to tell the stubborn wenger NO!!! when it’s necessary
mad dog keown is the man for the job. he was in the dressing room for the away leg to roma and has all the players respect.very intelligent and well spoken. could be groomed to take over once wenger steps down.plus the fans love him and he aint half doolally like adams who should just stick to playing his piano.we WILL WIN the league next season.Arsene knows
Boro Primorac seems like a sensible choice to take over Rice’s role.
Those that dismiss Rice as a simple yes-man ought to be ashamed of themselves. They have absolutely no understanding or appreciation of the man’s day to day activities with the club (neither do I but I have no interest in pretending that I do). Using an undesirable end to a difficult season as an excuse to castigate and belittle the achievements of one of the most loyal servants in the history of AFC is completely unacceptable.
erm AusGunner, Boro Primorac is already Arsene’s assistant manager. We have Rice and Boro as assistant managers… But I think Bould may make the step up. Although I would love to have Keown.
Primorac is First Team Coach whereas Pat Rice is Assistant Manager. I assume there is a difference between the roles other than name. Hard to say whether Primorac could step up to Rice’s role but it’s probably worth an unfussy promotion from within.
i can tell you all that pat rice is not leaveing the club that he loves and this is the second time that this story has come out. last season the club brought out a statment putting this story to bed. it seems they will have to do the same again this summer. people dont seem to reaise just how important pat rice is to arsenal and long may we have his services
GET HIM A LADY WHO CAN NAG NAG NAG TILL HE SORT OUT THE DEFENSE AND SELL ADE.
Portsmouth were good defensively when Adams was assistant manager. Don’t care who takes over as no2 as long as they point out to Wenger that Denilson, Ade, Fabianski, Diaby, Eboue, Djourou are just not good enough if you want to win the Champions league and Premier League
I say bould for assistant, and give keown and adams the youth team, i think keown would rather start at grass roots than be an assistant, plus bouldy knows the game tactically a little better hes been great with the kids
For me it can be only 3 people 1) Steve Bould, 2) Tony Adams 3) Dennis Bergkamp.
Steve Bould is already in the club, I think he may step up and become the number two. He has been successfull pushing many players into the reserve team.
Tony Adams could be the man Wenger could turn to if he wants advice on no nonscence defending, and would be popular with the fans and also put a bit of the Arsenal spirit back in the dressing room.
Dennis Bergkamp is seen as a natural successer to Le Proffessor, even though he has no management experience. He is young and has been assisting in Holland with Ajax, who did not do too well. (Might not be anything to do with his coachig) He is dutch and there is a history of great dutch players becoming great managers. Could be worth a punt.
[...] was some reports last summer that Pat Rice was considering retirement?, this was followed by a officaial statement on [...]