LIVERPOOL v PORTSMOUTH: TONY ADAMS has marked his appointment as Harry Redknapp's successor at Portsmouth by saying he will not stand in the way of any players interested in leaving in January. He said he was only interested in working with those who were fully committed to the club.
The former Arsenal and England centre-half, who had been Redknapp's number two for two years, signed a contract that lasts to the end of the 2010/11 season after seeking advice from Arsène Wenger. Having overseen Sunday's 1-1 draw with Fulham as a caretaker, he will take charge at Anfield against the Premier League leaders, Liverpool, this evening. One of his early jobs will be to convince his players there is life after Redknapp.
Many of the squad were shocked by the latter's move to Tottenham last Saturday night and Portsmouth are braced to receive a number of bids in the winter transfer window.
The club's hierarchy have said they are not under any pressure to sell, but Redknapp, for one, is expected to test their resolve by inquiring about Lassana Diarra and Jermain Defoe.
Asked whether he would make a point of speaking with any disaffected players, Adams said: "It's not a question of them going anywhere. None of them has to come to me but if they do, and they want to go, I will let them go.
"I want people who want to play for Portsmouth absolutely. That would be the case wherever. The manager at Arsenal would be no different. If you don't want to play for Arsenal, he would let them go.
"You've got to have players who are happy and want to play for the football club, 100 per cent . . . If they don't want to play for Portsmouth, then they will do you no good in the long run.
"If the chairman or the owner go and get rid of all my players, they would be cutting my throat. What would I be left with? I wouldn't have a chance then, would I? The starting XI always want to stay and the players outside always want to go.
"We have some very good players here at this football club and it is my job to keep them here and at the moment they are responding."
The 42-year-old will be backed by the club's board as he attempts to build on last season's FA Cup win and qualification for the Uefa Cup.
"The club is fine and the owner (Alexandre Gaydamak) continues to put money into the club," said Peter Storrie, who has been appointed executive chairman.
"If Tony wants to sell, then we'll sell and reinvest that money. The fans are all aware of the situation."
Adams, who hopes to persuade the first-team coach, Joe Jordan, to stay and is exploring the possibility of bringing Martin Keown on to his staff, endured a difficult year as manager of Wycombe Wanderers until his departure, four years ago, after 12 wins in 53 matches. He has spent time with the youth academies of Feyenoord and Utrecht.
Adams said: "I told Harry up front about two months ago that I was looking for a number one's job, that I thought I was ready, but he'd always said he'd brought me here with a view to me taking over. Wycombe was difficult, but there's not a person there who doesn't think I did okay. It was what it was.
"They had 11 points after 17 games. We had no money, we had to cut the wage bill from £1.5 million (€1.9 million) to £800,000 (€1 million), I had to get rid of everybody and save the football club.
"I stopped the rot, but I'd get on the coaching pitch and some of the things I wanted to do were a different kind of football. It's like running a corner shop or running Sainsbury's."
Meanwhile, Rafael Benitez has called on his Liverpool players to prove they are worthy Premier League leaders. The Anfield chief, however, wants his players to grasp the opportunity at home to Portsmouth to strengthen their lead at the top.
Benitez said: "It is a crucial week for us. We are at the top for the first time and everybody is waiting for our reaction, to see whether we can we handle it. So we must concentrate even more now. We must not slip up or lose our focus."
Benitez also acknowledged the stunning form of Xabi Alonso, the midfielder he tried to sell in the summer. Alonso can expect to be in midfield tonight, knowing that had Juventus upped their summer bid for him, he would probably be playing in Serie A now while Aston Villa's Gareth Barry would have been in Liverpool's squad.
Benitez said: "What happened in the summer with Alonso is just football, and you always have to try to change things.
"Maybe I will now tell half a dozen players that I may sell them, maybe they will all start to play as well as Xabi. He is showing the quality we know he has. Always he is a good professional, a good player."
Guardian Service
