Tony Adams: Arsene Wenger’s end is near

Tony Adams during his playing days

Former Arsenal captain Tony Adams, who enjoys a legendary status at Arsenal, believes Arsene Wenger is nearing an end to his historic tenure at the club.

The former Arsenal defender has put forward his name as a possible replacement for Wenger. Adams commands the respect of Gunners fans, but his managerial record at elsewhere, mainly at Wycombe and Portsmouth, would cast a doubt over his ability to manage Arsenal.

However, the ambitious Adams maintains he is ready to step into Wenger’s shoes, even though he admits that the current Arsenal squad is not good enough to challenge for the Premier League title.

“To keep hitting the top four and qualifying for the Champions League is great, but there is going to come a day, and that won’t be far away, when Arsene leaves. One hundred per cent I’d like to be Arsenal manager,” Adams told Zapsportz.com,according to ESPN.

“Of course my heart says, ‘Yes, yes, yes’, but my head says, ‘Can I win with this current team?’ My answer is no, I can’t and I am not sure anyone can.

“For a long time he has been a one-man band, but that won’t happen again. The next man appointed will be the head coach, not the manager.”

Adams backs the Arsenal fans who believe Wenger’s unwillingness to spend money in the transfer market is the reason behind the club’s crisis, while also suggesting a revamp of the wage structure at the club.

“I know Arsene would not spend £25 million on buying Bayern’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for example, no matter how much he might need a new keeper,’’ added Adams. “I think that is a great policy, but the club needs to restructure its wages spent, that is a vastly different matter.

“The club are paying in excess of £150 million on wages, but there have been a lot of average players on £50,000-a-week when the big teams now need four or five players on a lot of money. Arsenal do not attract those big players because of their wage structure.”