Arsène Wenger has backed his former skipper Tony Adams to be a managerial success at Portsmouth. The 42-year-old Arsenal legend - who remains the club s most successful ever skipper with four league titles - was officially appointed new Pompey manager on

Arsène Wenger has backed his former skipper Tony Adams to be a managerial success at Portsmouth.

The 42-year-old Arsenal legend - who remains the club's most successful ever skipper with four league titles - was officially appointed new Pompey manager on Tuesday after Harry Redknapp's shock departure to Tottenham Hotspur.

It was almost five years to the day since his first managerial appointment at Wycome Wanderers. He lasted only a year in Buckinghamshire and later briefly coached in the Netherlands at Feyenoord and FC Utrecht, but Wenger says he is now ready for another crack at management.

"Tony is 42 and he is at the age now where you have to start in this job," said the Arsenal manager prior to last night's north London derby, "he has worked a lot now and I think he is ready.

"Tony has much more experience now because he has been abroad and has been at Portsmouth as an assistant.

"He has natural authority which is one important ingredient. The second of course is to convince everybody about your philosophy. And at that level you need a big resistance to stress and a daily commitment.

"The most important thing I believe is he has these qualities and he gets the opportunity. Only time will tell how he will do but I would bet that he will do well."

Adams described his appointment as a "great honour" and is being tipped to add former Arsenal team-mate Martin Keown to his coaching staff.