Arsene Wenger's decision not to allow Thierry Henry to
combine his Sky television commitments with coaching Arsenal’s Under-18s has
backfired further after it emerged Tony Adams has turned down the same role
with the club to take a job in China.
Arsenal manager Wenger overturned an offer from the head of
the club’s academy, Andries Jonker, for Henry to work as an assistant coach
with the Under-18s as part of his efforts to get his Uefa pro licence.
Record goalscorer Henry even offered to work for free to stay
at Arsenal, but Wenger was adamant that he could not combine a job with the
Under-18s with his work for Sky.
Instead, Wenger offered the Under-18s job to another Arsenal
legend, Adams, on the condition that he first completed a trial period. But
just a few weeks into that trial, Adams has left Wenger and Jonker looking for
another Under-18s coach to assist Kwame Ampadu by quitting to take a job at
Chinese club Chongqing Lifan.
Adams travelled to China for talks with Chongqing this week
and it is understood the former Arsenal captain will become the club’s head of
youth development on a lucrative contract.
Although ex-midfielder Freddie Ljungberg is back at Arsenal
working with the club’s Under-15s and Steve Bould is assistant manager, the snub
from Adams adds another name to the list of former players who have either been
forced or chosen to continue their non-playing careers away from Wenger.
Henry is now looking for the right place to continue working
towards his Uefa pro licence, with the possibility of joining another club or
national association.
Patrick Vieira accepted a youth development role at
Manchester City in 2011 and worked his way up the ranks before being put in
charge of New York City, who are owned by City, in November last year.
City will have another former Arsenal star playing a key
coaching role for them next season after Mikel Arteta accepted a position in
Pep Guardiola’s backroom staff.
Dennis Bergkamp turned down an offer to scout for Arsenal and
Wenger after retiring from playing, and instead returned to Ajax to start a
coaching career that saw him promoted to assistant manager under Frank de Boer.
Marc Overmars also went back to Holland and is director of
football at Ajax, having started work as a youth coach in 2011.
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