Arsenal legend Tony Adams: George Graham was a better coach than Arsene Wenger

Tony Adams, Arsenal 1998 (Sean Dempsey/PA)

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Former Arsenal captain Tony Adams has claimed that George Graham was a better coach than current boss Arsene Wenger.

Adams is currently based in Azerbaijan where is manager of FC Gabala, and is aiming to deliver the domestic league title within two years, a success which could potentially put him on course to face his former club in the Champions League.

The 44-year-old also admitted that whilst he would not be adverse to risking his reputation at the club and one day returning to north London as manager, it would not surprise him if Arsenal’s qualification for the Champions League came under threat in the coming seasons.

Speaking to The Daily Mirror, Adams said: “I love Arsenal and I will always be proud to walk through the door as an Arsenal man.

“If I went back there as a disaster, I would be a disaster as a manager, not as a player, so I’ve got no fear of going back there one day and doing it my own way – good, bad or ugly.

“Maybe not this year, but next season, I might have a chance of winning the Azerbaijan league title with Gabala and going into the Champions League qualifying rounds.

“We could even play Arsenal, but they are struggling to get in the top five now, aren’t they? Who knows?”

The former Portsmouth boss has travelled 2,500 miles to revive his managerial career, and has already boosted the defensive displays of FC Gabala, a strength Adams has attributed to the management of George Graham.

“We kept 21 clean sheets in 32 games last season, including 11 on the spin, which I believe is the 89th best in the history of football,” Adams continued.

“Good back four, everyone behind the ball, good at set plays, very George Graham. No disrespect to Arsene, but George’s coaching ability, defensive structure and technical ability, for me, is far better.

“No injustice to Arsene, but it’s his strength, and that was George’s particular strength.They say coaches are the best thieves and I think he stole it off Terry Venables.

“I think Arsene Wenger is a magnificent physiologist and psychologist. Those are the areas where he excels. He’s a lovely man and he has the respect of all the players he’s ever worked with.

“George was an outstanding coach – I think I won six or seven trophies under him, including the Cup Winners’ Cup against Parma with a team including Ian Selley and David Hillier in midfield and Steve Morrow at the back.

“You kind of think the guy has got something.

“That back four – Lee Dixon, Steve Bould, Nigel Winterburn and myself – doesn’t happen by luck. We worked hard on organisation. Morning and afternoon. We hated George for it, but we were on top of our game and we reaped the benefits.

“We won the League in 1989 and 1991 but we should have done so much more – we under-achieved with that squad.

“I’ve been working at my job in Azerbaijan and when I came back at Christmas, during our winter break, I went to the Man City game at the Emirates and it was great looking at the madness back in England – the greed, the fear and the managers’ average shelf life of one year, three months.

“More than 50 coaches have lost their jobs in English football since I went to Azerbaijan.

“I love the anonymity and I don’t think working in England is for me – apart from the Arsenal.”