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Tony Adams keen to hand Bergkamp coaching
job
Dave Middleton
The
Guardian
Thursday 06 November 2008
The Portsmouth manager, Tony Adams,
is to approach the former Holland and Arsenal striker
Dennis Bergkamp about joining the Fratton Park coaching
staff. Adams yesterday revealed his interest in his
old Highbury team-mate as he seeks quick appointments
to finalise the Pompey backroom operation following
his appointment as Harry Redknapp's successor.
Adams, who made more than 500 appearances for Arsenal
between 1984 and 2002, said he had already held talks
with another former Highbury team-mate, Martin Keown,
and was planning to make contact with Bergkamp.
"I want my staff sorted sooner rather than later,
really by the weekend," Adams told the Portsmouth
News. "I'm meeting with a few people and having
conversations with a couple of old friends. I've had
a positive meeting with Martin [Keown]. Then there's
Dennis [Bergkamp], who is taking the youth team at Ajax
and is a good, good man.
"I've not spoken to him, but there are a few people
I still need to talk to. I've got some good people still
at the club, which is great, but I need my people in
and the sooner I can do that the better. Mind you, you
don't have to be an old Arsenal player."
Bergkamp has been on a traineeship with Ajax since
July as he seeks to gain his coaching licence, working
with both the first-team strikers and the youth team.
Late last month the 39-year-old also accepted an invitation
from the Dutch FA to join, on a one-year contract, the
coaching staff of the newly re-formed Netherlands B
youth team, managed by the former Holland midfielder
Johan Neeskens. It is unclear what impact this might
have on Adams' plans for Bergkamp at Portsmouth.
Bergkamp himself recently said he would be keen on
a return to England. "People ask me the question
if I could come back to England one day to coach and
I say yes," he said. "I always enjoyed it
there and it's a fantastic country to be involved in
football. Maybe in the future I will be back in some
way."
Portsmouth travel to Sunderland
this weekend with Adams still seeking his first Premier
League victory. Since taking over the club, Portsmouth
have drawn 1-1 with Fulham at home, lost 1-0 at Liverpool
and were defeated 2-1 by Wigan last Saturday.
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