Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira gutted for Newport County boss

Vieira and Flynn met while studying for their UEFA Pro Licence with the Football Association of Wales in Newport.

And the Arsenal legend was back in the city over the weekend for the FAW Coaches Conference at the Celtic Manor.

Vieira watched the final on TV at the hotel on Saturday before delivering a practical session with the Newport County AFC academy players at Dragon Park on Sunday.

And the Nice boss believes that the pain of defeat to Tranmere Rovers at Wembley will make Flynn a better manager in the long run.

“I'm so disappointed for Michael,” said Vieira. “They went so close.

“This is his first big disappointment as a manager and he will learn from it. It will make him better.

“He's a young coach but he's proved he's a good coach and he needs to keep learning.

“I'm sure he'll bounce back and I wish him all the best for next season.”

Meanwhile, Vieira says he was flattered by Arsene Wenger describing him as a future Arsenal boss and admits he wants to manage one of his former clubs.

Vieira has just concluded his first season as a manager in European football, leading Nice to a seventh-placed finish in Ligue 1 with one of the youngest teams in France.

He had previously coached at Manchester City and spent two-and-a-half years in the United States in charge of Major League Soccer side New York City.

Wenger – who joined the Gunners at the same time as Vieira in 1996 – praised his fellow Frenchman last month for constructing his career "intelligently and patiently" and said he saw the 42-year-old as coaching Arsenal in the future.

"I'm really privileged to have worked under Arsene and him saying that is really flattering," said Vieira.

"If I manage Arsenal one day, I will take him for dinner and I will pay the bill!

"He didn't say it to put pressure (on me). It's just flattering that the guy who spent over 20 years there thinks I have the quality to manage a big club like Arsenal one day.

"Since I was in Manchester City I had a clear idea about the next step for me," added Vieira, who was linked with succeeding Wenger last summer before Unai Emery was appointed Arsenal manager.

"Moving from City to New York in the MLS and then coming back to the French league was the right decision.

"I have a clear idea of what I want to achieve, and I will try to take the right decision to get to the top.

"I want to take my time to get there, but I would love one day to manage one of the teams I played for in Italy or England.

"When you have an exciting league like in England, you always want to get involved," added the 42-year-old. "But I don't put a time on it, because my work will decide if I deserve it or not.

"That is what will dictate if I deserve this kind of job."

Vieira's final wish this season is to see Arsenal secure Champions League football by beating Chelsea in tomorrow night's Europa League final.

"Hopefully they can win, he said. "Arsenal is a great football club and deserves to be in the Champions League."