Marwood backs Adams to shine

By Stuart Roach

Tony Adams profile

Brian Marwood has backed former Arsenal team-mate Tony Adams to be a success as a football manager.

Adams took his first steps on the management ladder when he was confirmed as Wycombe boss on Wednesday.

And Marwood, who was part of Arsenal's 1989 Championship-winning side captained by Adams, believes the former England star's leadership qualities will blossom at the Causeway Stadium.

"Wycombe is the perfect place for Tony to start," Marwood told BBC Sport.

"At some point he needed to make that first step and Wycombe have provided a very good platform for the likes of Martin O'Neill and John Gregory, so he obviously feels this was the right moment in time."

In fact, the timing was spot-on, with Adams unveiled in his first management job 20 years to the day since he made his Arsenal debut at the age of 17.

Much of the final year of those two decades was spent at university as Adams took time out of football.

I would take George Graham's resilience, Martin O'Neill's enthusiasm, Arsene Wenger's empathy with his team and Terry Venables' amazing ability to put his ideas over to the players Tony Adams on his management mentors Adams handed Wycombe job

But Marwood believes the Highbury years under first George Graham and then Arsene Wenger will have provided a much greater learning curve.

"I think he will have learned a tremendous amount from those two managers.

"They had very different approaches to the game but both were extremely successful and I'll be amazed if Tony hasn't picked up things from both.

"But he can't afford to manage like George Graham and he can't afford to manage like Arsene Wenger.

"He is a different personality and he would be making a big mistake if he did try to adopt their approach.

"He needs to adopt the Tony Adams approach but with the influence of those he has worked under during his career."

Adams takes over at the Causeway Stadium with Wycombe stuck at the bottom of Division Two.

Brian Marwood played alongside Adams at Highbury

But as a young player Adams learned to shrug off criticism of his gangly style and overcame much publicised problems with drink and gambling as he developed into an outstanding captain for club and country.

And Marwood believes that will have helped develop the thick skin needed for football management.

"He will make mistakes - everybody does. It's very new to him and he has chosen a team which is struggling at the moment," Marwood said.

"Tony has presented himself with a very, very stiff task but when you look at the qualities people associate with Tony Adams you don't see them troubling him at all.

"He's got real presence and has shown great strength of mind to overcome what he has been through.

"He is very determined and knows where he wants to be on the managerial ladder.

"I don't think this is a publicity appointment in any way, shape or form and I think Tony will be a success from day one because of the respect he commands."