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Arsenal legend Tony Adams says Arsene Wenger should have left in May
Former Arsenal captain Tony Adams has insisted Arsene Wenger made a mistake by deciding to sign a new two-year contract and has claimed the Frenchman is not a great coach.
Wenger signed a new two-year contract with the club in May this year, despite Arsenal's failure to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in his 21-year reign.
“Arsene should have gone in May," said Adams in an interview with the Islington Gazette.
“You could say if he wants another two years give him another two years but my personal opinion is that he should have gone after beating Chelsea.
“But it’s not for him and it’s going to end in tears."
Adams, who spent close to 10 years working under Wenger, claimed the Frenchman did not teach him anything new as a player.
“As a psychologist, regarding his interaction with his group of players, he was fantastic, second to none," said Adams.
“But did he teach me anything? No. Did he teach me how to defend? No.
“He didn’t teach Nigel [Winterburn], Dicko [Lee Dixon], He didn’t teach Bouldy [Steve Bould] or Dave Seaman.”
In May, Adams said he would be interesting in rejoining the club as a coach, but believed Wenger would not appreciate his forthright views.
"Arsene is so dominant that he was probably not going to like it if I said, 'We're conceding bad goals, I'm going to take the back four today and organise them'.
"Because Arsene is essentially not a coach - and that is the second reason why I believe he didn't want me. Back in the day I said in an interview coaching wasn't Arsene's strong point.
"Actually in the original draft, I said he couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag. And though I modified that in the final article, it didn't go down well.
Arsenal play Bournemouth at the Emirates on Saturday. Defeat would mean they will have lost three of their opening four league fixtures for the first time since 1982.