Patrick Vieira wants critics of Strasbourg to forget the fact the club is linked to Chelsea, after a run of poor results and off-pitch issues.
Fans of the Ligue 1 side have protested the dealings of club president Marc Keller, who remained in place over the summer after a takeover by Todd Boehly’s BlueCo.
Strasbourg sit 11th in the table after just one win in five games but Vieira is adamant that the club are thinking long-term in their link-up with the Blues.
“Perhaps people outside don’t see the progression as quickly as they would like, but we can’t be blinded by the fact that we’re linked to Chelsea,” he told French outlet L’Equipe.
Top scorer Habib Diallo left for Saudi Arabian team Al Shabab in the summer while fellow key players Alexander Djikuand Jean-Ricner Bellegarde were among those to also move on, the latter in a deadline day switch to Wolves.
Strasbourg have invested in youth to fill the voids with Brazilian teenager Angelo Gabriel the only loan arrival from Chelsea, despite more being anticipated.
“You have to look at things globally with last season and next season as well,” Vieira noted.
“My team has lost players and some other key players were present in pre-season before ultimately leaving, when we had to hope of keeping them.
“You need to give the recruits the time to flourish. I knew that when I came here.
“We are starting a new cycle and we are all in harmony about where we are today and where we want to go tomorrow. But I know that the most important thing in this business is results.”
