DON'T AXE TONY ADAMS

POMPEY have been urged not to axe Tony Adams.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes his former skipper deserves time to prove himself as a manager - but fears he will not get it.

Wenger said: "Paul Ince and Roy Keane have gone; now Tony seems to be under pressure.

"People ask why there are no English managers but there are if they are given time. Being a big player gives you a fast track into management and sometimes that can be a trap.

"Because of their big names there can be a big expecation level. The expectation is that they will win the championship as a manager just because they won it as a player."

Adams is worried that cutbacks may mean more players leaving Fratton Park than arriving.

Loved

He said: "Do I feel this is my team? Of course it's not. I am desperate to make a Tony Adams signing but the chairman isn't prepared to lose more money.

"Managers are judged by how they perform in the transfer market and so they should be."

But Adams is looking forward to taking a team to Arsenal for the first time.

He said: "I worked at Arsenal for a long time and I loved every minute. I'm delighted the fans respect that. But I'm working for another club now.

"Afterwards I'll catch up with old friends like Pat Rice and Arsene, too, though he's always a difficult man to get hold of."