Praising the full-back, who celebrates 10 years with Crystal Palace this summer, Vieira explained that Ward’s example helps to develop Academy players when they cross over Copers Cope Road.
“He’s massively important,” the manager said in his pre-Watford press conference. “For me it’s really important to have this positive role model. We’re talking about the young players we want to bring from the Academy and they need to identify themselves with a really good example, and Wardy is one of them; his competitiveness and everyday work to perform at the weekend.
“When we talk about those players who were under Roy [Hodgson] and really helped me put my message through, Wardy is of course one of them.”
Ward joined Palace in 2012, the season they earned promotion back to the Premier League. He has appeared over 300 times in club colours, and extended his contract in summer 2021 up to 2023.
Vieira discussed his ability to adapt while at the club, and the connection he has built while here: “It’s about being in the right place where you can challenge yourself and knowing what you really want and what you’re looking for. Sometimes you have everything in front of you, so I think Wardy has always been happy to play in this football club and there is a love between him and this football club.
“There is the sport side where you have to fight to earn your place, you have to be ambitious to help the club to grow and Wardy is the kind of person I believe if he’s happy somewhere has no reason to go anywhere else.”
With the likes of Ward, James McArthur, Cheikhou Kouyaté, James Tomkins and Luka Milivojević at the club, Vieira has plenty of choices for experienced, senior players to guide any young prospects.
But the manager says this is part of Palace’s wider fabric in their efforts to develop young prospects: “It’s about who we are as a football club, and having young players coming through the Academy is part of the DNA of the football club, especially if they’re from south London.
“This is something the Chairman is really keen on and when you have a new facility like we have we need to produce players. There is talent there but at the same time with the first-team we need to create those pathways with the players to have a chance to play in our first-team.”
