Premier League - Adams appointed Portsmouth manager

Eurosport - Tue, 28 Oct 21:38:00 2008

Tony Adams has been confirmed as the new manager of Portsmouth, three days after the departure of Harry Redknapp to Tottenham Hotspur.

2008 Portsmouth Tony Adams - 0

The 42-year-old Adams served as an assistant to Redknapp, who was back in Portsmouth on Tuesday to receive the freedom of the city.

Adams was told on Monday night that he would be given the job and take charge for Wednesday's Premier League meeting with Liverpool.

The former Arsenal captain signed a two-and-a-half year contract until the end of the 2010/11 season.

He said: "It's a great opportunity and one I'd be mad to turn down. I'm very excited, I can't wait to get going.

"I've been here for two-and-a-half years so it was business as usual this morning, except Harry's charm and fun was gone.

"I've got some great players at Portsmouth and I have been kind of responsible as well for helping Harry to bring them to the club.

"I was at home thinking, 'I don't want anyone else to get this job'."

Adams conceded he might come under pressure from Redknapp's Tottenham to sell players such as Jermain Defoe and Lassana Diarra, but pledged: "I'll fight him!

"That's why they are here - they're good players and he'll probably want them.

"We've got some very good players here at the club so I'm delighted that other clubs want them. But it's my job to keep them here."

Adams also said he had spoken to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger before accepting his first Premier League management job.

"I spoke to Arsene [Wenger] last night for some advice, and he said, 'Welcome to hell!'"

Adams did not confirm the imminent appointment of his former Arsenal team-mate Martin Keown as assistant manager, saying he intended to take his time.

Joe Jordan and Paul Groves remain part of the coaching set-up.

Chairman Peter Storrie refused to answer questions about the club's uncertain finances, describing them as "a boring, boring subject".

Tony Adams Factfile

1966: Born Romford, Essex, October 10.

1983: Makes Arsenal debut aged 17.

1984: Signed as full professional by Arsenal in January after completing apprenticeship.

1985: Makes first of five appearances for England Under-21s (had previously played at schools and youth level).

1987: Wins first of 66 England caps (13 as captain) in 4-2 victory over Spain in Madrid in February. Member of Arsenal's Littlewoods Cup-winning side as Liverpool are beaten 2-1 in final at Wembley.

1988: Becomes youngest-ever Arsenal captain.

1989: Leads Arsenal to their first league title for 18 years.

1990: Not selected for England's World Cup final bid in Italy, which ends with semi-final defeat to Germany in Turin. Jailed for four months after admitting drink-driving offences in December. Serves two months of sentence.

1991: After coming out of jail, returns to Arsenal side which wins championship for second time in three seasons.

1993: Helps Arsenal lift Coca-Cola Cup and FA Cup with Wembley wins over Sheffield Wednesday in both competitions. Back in England side for first time since jail sentence as England slump 2-0 to Norway in a World Cup qualifier in Oslo in June.

1994: Member of Arsenal side which lifts European Cup Winners' Cup, beating Parma 1-0 in final in Copenhagen.

1995: European misery as Arsenal slump 2-1 to Real Zaragoza in Cup Winners' Cup final in Paris.

1996: Overcomes knee injury to figure in all five of England's Euro 96 matches in a campaign which again ends in a semi-final defeat on penalties to Germany. Reports that Adams is seeking a divorce after his wife Jane is treated for drug addiction are followed by his own admission of alcoholism.

1997: Helps England draw 0-0 with Italy in Rome's Olympic Stadium to qualify for France 98.

1998: Helps lead Arsenal to the league and FA Cup double.

Wins his 50th cap for England but suffers huge disappointment when Glenn Hoddle's men lose to Argentina on penalties and are knocked out of the World Cup.

1999: Part of the England team that qualifies for Euro 2000.

2000: Arsenal lose to Galatasaray in the UEFA Cup final.

Named as England captain following Alan Shearer's decision to retire from the international scene.

Skippers England against Germany in opening World Cup qualifier the last England international at Wembley before its redevelopment. England lose 1-0 and Keegan quits as coach after the game.

2001: Adams announces that he intends to quit international football in order to prolong his playing career.

2002: Plays just 13 league and cup games during the 2001/2002 season due to injury, but does play in the 2-0 FA Cup final victory over Chelsea as the Gunners complete the double.

In August, ends speculation over his future by revealing he is to take a break from football in order to take a three-year course in sports science.

Reveals he has had several offers to go into management but turnedthem down because of his "lack of preparation".

2003: January 15 - Denied the chance to take his first step into coaching as soccer consultant with Dr Marten's League side Weymouth after consortium he was linked with had their bid for the club rejected.

November 5 - Appointed manager of League One Wycombe.

2004: May - After just six league wins all season, Wycombe finish bottom and are relegated to League Two.

November 9 - Resigns as manager citing personal reasons.

2005: July - Takes up training coaching role with Feyenoord's youth side in Holland.

2006: January -

Becomes trainee coach with Utrecht first team.

June 28 - Appointed assistant manager to Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth.

2008: October 25 - Becomes caretaker manager following Redknapp's departure for Tottenham.

October 28 - Confirmed as Portsmouth manager.

Alex Chick and Sporting Life / Eurosport

Comment 50 - 69 of 89

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  1. 56eu756eu6y5ru6tu7

    From Fgdfrt, on Tue 28 Oct 3:45PM

  2. Good luck tony in your new job l hope it all goes­ well.I know you will make a good manager.You should be­ the next arsenal manager !

    From w.clarke855, on Tue 28 Oct 3:39PM

  3. I would have wished you a good start but unfortunately­ your first game is againt the Almighty Reds which you­ will lose. But don't worry your predecessor Harry­ will get his after yours

    From Michael, on Tue 28 Oct 3:38PM

  4. Harry Redknap was the one man capable of keeping Pompey­ in a respectable position in the premiership. Time­ will tell if Tony Adams is a capable manager, I suggest­ you pompey fans give the lad a chance , you are in a­ healthy position at the moment , until Wed when the­ mighty Liverpool take you on.

    From mitchmarshall, on Tue 28 Oct 3:34PM

  5. As an Arsenal fan, this is just to say congratulations­ to Tony Adams. What a player he was for us! I wish him­ the very best. As others are saying on this forum,­ learn something at Pompey and come back home when­ Wenger leaves. That will be great!
    On another note I­ think that Pompey fans should stop bad mouthing­ Redknapp. He has been great for them. They should not­ forget how they got him from Southampton and how sore­ Southampton fans were about the whole affair. Payback­ is really a b**** when you think about it.
    With­ Redknapp now at Spurs my hope of seeing them in the­ lower league has vanished. I would really love to see­ the Spuds sinking to the bottom of English football and­ staying there (like Leeds United). But I think that­ with Redknapp there things will turn around. In fact, I­ am praying that the turn around does not continue with­ their upcoming game with Arsenal.

    From rocco.lazy, on Tue 28 Oct 3:16PM

  6. lu org sume lancau!!!

    From Cesc Fernando, on Tue 28 Oct 3:15PM

  7. One thing for sure about Tony Adams is that he­ isn't going to bugger off and join Spurs

    From Kevin, on Tue 28 Oct 3:02PM

  8. good luck tony!

    From ceekoon82, on Tue 28 Oct 2:43PM

  9. Good luck Tony learn your trade at Pompey.Then come­ back home to the Arsenal in a few years time!!

    From tc, on Tue 28 Oct 2:43PM

  10. Tony will do a great job. I am glad he is getting the­ opportunity!!!

    From KGL BLTZ, on Tue 28 Oct 2:38PM

  11. GOOD LUCK TONY
    MY ONLY HOPE THAT THE PLAYES LOYALTY TO­ FANS AND THIS GREAT CLUB, NOT TO MR H.REDKNAPP
    I SAY­ WELL DONE HARRY.
    RAJAB SEN

    From rajab s, on Tue 28 Oct 2:12PM

  12. I don't rate Adams but still wish him good luck for­ the sake of Pompey. I would hate to see them join­ Southampton. Sure as hell can't see Southampton­ coming back to join Pompey. If all else fails, Alan­ Curbishley would be the right choice to save the team­ from destruction.

    From Monty, on Tue 28 Oct 2:09PM

  13. good luck to him! it is a brave man that enters the­ premiership merry go round! but he is I think a­ different man than from his Wycombe days and will have­ learned much from Harry.
    I've no doubt that he­ will have taken the good stuff that has been done and­ build on them defensive short comings that have been­ exposed!

    From luddonclan, on Tue 28 Oct 1:50PM

  14. GOOD LUCK TONY.

    From raybruce73, on Tue 28 Oct 1:44PM

  15. I have never heard so much bull said about 1 man in my­ life, that took a club from being nothing to a stable­ club in the prem and winning the fa cup and gettting­ them in to europe i bet the pompey fans where not­ slagging of harry last may or when he saved them from­ going down. ­ ­ ­ it­ must hurt them that hes gone but you should be thanking­ him for what he has done at pompey no fans claim he was­ miss spending club funds when he got defoe and crouch­ so grow up and stop moaning and thank him for saving­ your club in football managers come and go all the time­ aswell as players

    From alfieriley, on Tue 28 Oct 1:41PM

  16. I Give him 3 Months..He may have a footballing brain­ but he certainly isnt the sharpest knife in the­ drawer...but i would like him to proves me wrong.

    From marc.oconnor16, on Tue 28 Oct 1:40PM

  17. I have never heard so much @#$% said about 1 man in my­ life, that took a club from being nothing to a stable­ club in the prem and winning the fa cup and gettting­ them in to europe i bet the pompey fans where not­ slagging of harry last may or when he saved them from­ going down. ­ ­ ­ it­ mut hurt them that hes gone but you should be thanking­ him for what he has done at pompey no fans claim he was­ miss spending club funds when he got defoe and crouch­ so grow up and stop moaning and thank him for saving­ your club in football managers come and go all the time­ aswell as players

    From alfieriley, on Tue 28 Oct 1:34PM

  18. Good Luck to Tony Adams. Hopefully, he has learnt a lot­ since his Wycombe days.

    Anyone slating him for having­ a drink problem, quite simply has no brain and should­ not be allowed to post tripe such as this. They should­ be ashamed of themselves.

    Pompey wont go down this­ season- but there are huge changes coming at the club -­ TA and JJ will have thier work cut out. Especially in­ January - expect a lot of change.

    From SIMON, on Tue 28 Oct 1:26PM

  19. he is gonna lose games lol. harry redknap is better­ then him.

    From lukeharrison07, on Tue 28 Oct 1:24PM

  20. Tony Adams will be a really good manager, hes had­ experience captaining Arsenal during some glory years­ and if u look at the other previous players managing­ EPL clubs u will find that Tony will do just fine. No­ one from Pompey should ever diss Harry, hes one of­ those managers that have been at the top of his game­ for a long time but has never had the recognition he­ deserves, he would have made an excellent England­ manager as all english players respect him so much.­ Harry deserves his one big shot at a big club to try­ and win something important like last season with­ Pompey, so he can retire happy after 25+ years in the­ managing game. Dont forget he's like Frank's­ uncle or something and his son is Jamie.

    From zehst, on Tue 28 Oct 1:06PM
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