Former Portsmouth manager and Arsenal legend Tony Adams has admitted on talkSPORT radio that he is close to becoming the new Celtic boss after entering into talks with the Scottish club.
Speaking to Andy Townsend and Mike Parry on the Townsend and Parry Show about his managerial future, Adams said:
“My good friend Wim Jansen is probably in at Celtic. It would be him as technical director and me as manager.
"By saying manager, it is kind of a head coach’s position really because once you have a technical director like you have in Europe, they help you with recruitment. They do the ‘nuts and bolts’, the travel arrangements, the hotels, and all that kind of stuff.
"As long as you have the final say of who comes in and out, these people are your help in the boardroom.
"I never had that at Portsmouth. It works for me and Celtic is an unbelievable club, you have a 50% chance of winning something up there.”
Asked by Townsend if he had applied for the vacant Celtic manger’s role, Adams said:
“I’ve not applied for the role. I know Wim Jansen who has put me in there. I think they approached him and I know Wim from my Feyenoord days and he’s actually said that he would only do the role if I were to be made manager. That’s Vim’s opinion, not Celtic’s.”
Parry then asked Adams if he would like to work for Arsenal where he spent his playing career.
“Two things, I would love to [work there],” said Adams. “But I’ve not been asked. I still feel like I’d like to go back there as boss. I did work under him [Arsene Wenger] for six years. I know the club inside out.
“It may be the case that they are asking him to achieve more than fourth but they are not giving him the money to do that so maybe I’ll go in with a Russian in a few years, get all the money and take them in to the Champions League.
“Arsenal is a big part of my life and I love it to death and I can see me at some stage being part of the club in some capacity.”
Parry then asked Adams if he thought he’d been given enough time as manager at Portsmouth before being sacked.
“I wasn’t,” said Adams. “That’s a fact. Even so, I think it had run its course. I had three years there and I still felt as if I was doing the same thing. Harry had moved on so I had to do a little more on the coaching pitch. Harry did occasionally put a tracksuit on and get on to the training pitch so when he left I had to do a little bit more. I think it had run its course.
“But the ambition is still there. I’m only seven years down the road [since retiring as a player] and I’m a patient man and I have plenty of time.
"If I’m not Arsenal manager the next ten years then I think I’ll give up. But at the moment I’m not giving up.
"What do I need? Maybe some European experience. There’s not many big English coach’s out there at the moment. I’ve never worked in the Championship. Maybe I’ll take one [club] up rather than take one down.”