No he wasn't. People just pretend he was. He was an average to poor footballer long past his prime who was relegated to cameo roles closing out games. Some of which he didn't do that well.
But to conflate issues and safe face, many claimed he was a great influence in the locker room. Often an euphemism for not good enough on the grass.
Some old players are great for spot duty, Lampard was an example of that. The Chilean pivot Pizzaro was another.
Vierra, for all the love he gets here wasn't one of them. Most old retreads are shells of their old selves, and often look it in a new system playing with new teammates.
Find a young up and comer. Please!