The Man They Loved to Mock (Tony Adams)

Member Name: thehud

Product:	Tony Adams
Date:	06/08/02 (54 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Committed, Determined, Strong

Disadvantages: Slow, Ungainly

Sky Sports, 5 August 2002 - "Tony Adams is preparing to bring down the curtain on a glorious career after Gunners boss Arsene Wenger confirmed the former England captain was no longer an Arsenal player. The Highbury legend, who enjoyed his second Arsenal testimonial against Celtic at the end of last season after 18 years and over 650 games for the club, is thought to be considering a new career path after a life in football. Adams has been linked with a number of managerial posts over the summer but Wenger believes the 35-year-old will take some time away from the game before deciding where his future lies.

"Wenger confirmed: "Tony is no longer an Arsenal player. The season starts in two weeks and, if he was going to carry on, then he would have been with us (on tour) in Austria. I do not think he will play any more but he needs to take time to review his situation and decide what he wants to do. He will decide his own future but I am not worried for him. I know that he will have a great future. He has said he wants to go away and study sports science and then come back into football. And I think it would be a good idea for him to take a break from football. I think he was tapped for some management jobs over the summer but I wonder whether he really wants to do it. I'm certain that he will at some stage but I have a doubt that he will do it now.""


EEYORE!! they screamed, the length and breadth of the land as the young giant led out his team, defiantly proud and invincible, set for another afternoon in the lion's den. Every time they would comfort themselves with the thought that he was too clumsy, too slow, too stupid, simply too easy to beat, and yet every time he would come back, with a foot in, or a header away, or a clenched fist, for almost twenty years the very embodiment of defiance and a "they shall not pass attitude" - TONY ADAMS, not a donkey, but a prince among footballing men.
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Born on 10th October 1966 in Romford, Essex, Adams signed as a teenage apprentice with Arsenal in the early 80's. in the days when Terry Neill was manager at Highbury, although it will always be as the lieutenant of George Graham that he will be remembered, the heir to the throne of the legendary David O'Leary, and a bedrock of THE ARSENAL BACK FOUR (a legendary assembly) through their great years.

Neill gave Adams his league debut aged 17 in November 1983, and Adams made three appearances that season. There were two schools of thought among the media in those days: many derided him as a clumsy and naïve giant, while others painted him as a key figure in the future England back four.

He was seen initially as the ideal man to partner O'Leary in the Gunners' defence but suffered a stress fracture of his right foot, allowing the younger Martin Keown to snatch his place, although a contractual disagreement led to Keown's transfer to Aston Villa, clearing the way for Adams to re-emerge as the man most likely to, playing in every one of Arsenal's games in 1986-87 (winning the club's Player of the Year Award as they captured the Littlewoods Cup), and only missing three the following season, as he became an automatic choice under George Graham.

He was given his chance in the England team by Bobby Robson and figured in the ill fated 1988 European Championship finals when the side failed to win a game, but enjoyed more club success in the seasons which followed, with Arsenal securing League Championship medals in 1989 and 1991 under his captaincy, together with a Cup double in 1993, and a Cup Winners Cup triumph a year later.

He became an England regular around 1992 and was an automatic choice pretty much until he announced his retirement in 2000, after 66 caps for his country, with several as captain, following the first time he achieved the honour, against Rumania in October 1994.

He had a marv
ellous season in 1997-98 as Arsenal won the Double, but his appearances since then have been restricted by injuries, although he has never given less than 100% for club or country, and made some cameo appearances in last season's repeat of the Double triumph.

It is still not clear whether Adams has actually retired from playing or what his future holds, but Arsene Wenger obviously assumes he has, signing a French centre back as replacement.

Many will remember Adams as an ungainly donkey, but thousands more would treasure him as a true leader of men, the epitome of defiance. If the rumours are true and the testimonial game against Celtic at the end of last season is Adams? last in an Arsenal shirt, a massive void will be left in English football.


Of course, there was another side to Adams, and his conviction for drink driving and subsequent spell in prison led to many calls for him to be banned from international football and transferred from Highbury, but Adams fought back to eradicate the stain on his character, with his relationship with Arsene Wenger helping him to build his NEW MAN persona. Certainly the Frenchman successfully managed to get Adams to change his life style and add years on to his career, proving that no one is truly beyond redemption.

For a time Adams was reviled throughout the country and shared with Paul Merson a love for alcohol which drove a self destructive streak, but these last five years Anthony Alexander Adams has been a marvellous advert for all that is good in English football, one of the truly great defenders of these last twenty years.