Arsenal manager's job would hold no fear for Gunners legend Tony Adams

Arsenal legend Tony Adams insists a return to his former club as manager would hold no fear for him even if he does not hold out any expectation of replacing Arsene Wenger.

Adams made 669 appearances for the Gunners between 1983 and 2002, becoming the only captain of any club to lift the league title in three separate decades.

However the man known as Mr Arsenal has nothing enjoyed the same success on the managerial stage, where he has spent time at Wycombe, Portsmouth, Azerbaijani side Gabala and most recently an interim stint at Spanish side Granada.

The 51-year-old has his doubts over returning to England’s “managerial merry-go-round” and even a theoretical return to his boyhood side might not tempt him back.

“I am not sure I'd want to go next [at Arsenal] after Arsene -- there might be a fallout and it might be complicated once he leaves,” Adams told Sky Sports. “But I wouldn't be afraid of it, that's for sure.”

Such a possibility appears to be exceptionally unlikely though, with relations between Adams and his former manager having taken a turn for the worse when a national newspaper published extracts of his autobiography that were critical of Wenger’s managerial acumen.

In an exclusive interview with Standard Sport last year Adams admitted his dream of a return to Arsenal was unlikely to become a reality.

“There’s no way back for me at the moment,” he admitted. “But I live in hope. If the club wants me and the fans want me it’s my club.”

Adams added that he was reluctant to drop down to the lower leagues, where the life cycle of a manager is short and there is a threat that one failure can stand against you.

“Why would you want to go into a job that lasts six months to a year and get everybody screaming at you thinking they can do better?" he said.

“Just because you have played the game for 40 years the fans think they know better, which is quite hard to take at times.”