Arsène Wenger has said Tony Adams’ criticisms of his coaching ability and management style inspire in him nothing but sorrow. “I know him for a long time,” Arsenal’s manager said. “It’s sad.”
Adams claims in his latest book Wenger is “essentially not a coach” and Arsenal’s manager suffers from a fear of confrontation that leads him to hire staff who will not “ruffle feathers”.
Adams complains about being turned down several times for coaching roles at Arsenal and suggests the reason is Wenger prefers quiet obedience. “Perhaps Arsène thought I might be too challenging for him,” ventured Adams, who won 10 major honours during his 19 years at Arsenal.
Wenger pointed out that Adams had a spell coaching Arsenal’s youth team before leaving last year to become the sporting director of Chongqing Lifan in the Chinese Super League club. That experience did not last long and since April the 50-year-old has been the head coach of Granada, where he has lost all six of his matches. Adams had a short, unsuccessful stint as the Portsmouth manager in 2009 and spent more than a year leading the Azerbaijani club Gabala. He has also managed Wycombe Wanderers.
“He can show what he can do now,” Wenger said. “Who gives importance to that?”
Wenger said Arsenal hired coaches on the basis of the club’s need and applicants’ coaching ability, not their records as players. “You have to employ people who can help you to be successful. If I leave tomorrow I have no right to come back just because I have worked here. You have to be needed. If you have made a career as a player somewhere, it doesn’t give you any divine right to come back. That’s what it is. At a football club you want people to help you do the job.”
Arsenal go into their last Premier League match of the season on Sunday knowing they will miss out on qualification for the Champions League for the first time in 20 years unless results go in their favour. A draw could suffice but much more likely they must beat Everton while either Liverpool drop points against Middlesborough or Manchester City slip up against Watford.
“What is most important for me is to do the job well and finish the season as strongly as we can,” he said. “If we finish the job well, we can be maximum of one point short [of the top four]. After we will look where did we waste this point and you find many reasons. That’s part of it. I’m not here for personal glory or to sell books, I’m here to do the job.”
Wenger again refused to say whether the job will still be his next season. He confirmed his role will be discussed at a board meeting after the FA Cup final. “There are many aspects of a football club which have to be discussed at a board meeting. One of them is what is happening with the manager, the future, the players who have to come in, the renewal of contracts. You don’t miss problems in a board meeting.”