Tony Adams says aiming to kick Granada backsides

Madrid (AFP) – Tony Adams vowed Tuesday to give struggling Spanish side Granada’s players a “kick up the arse” a day after being named interim coach until the end of the season.

Adams was appointed on Monday after the sacking of Lucas Alcaraz with Granada second bottom of La Liga and seven points off safety with just seven games to go.

“I’m here to give the players a kick up the arse and win games,” said Adams, 50, at his presentation as boss.

The former Arsenal captain was already working at Granada as an advisor to the club’s Chinese owner Jiang Lizhang.

“I’ve been here five months and didn’t see this coming,” he added on his return to coaching after struggling in previous managerial spells at Wycombe Wanderers, Portsmouth and most recently with Azerbaijani club Gabala.

However, he insisted his role was very much only with an eye to keeping Granada up.

“I’m very much an interim coach,” he continued.

“We will try to win every game and will try some things in training to liven up the team as we try to achieve a miracle.”

Adams will begin Granada’s quest for a miracle when Celta Vigo visit Nuevo Los Carmenes on Sunday.

“I want us to be tough to beat. We’ve conceded too many goals,” added Adams, who led Arsenal’s watertight defence to four English titles as a player. 

“Our focus right now is winning on Sunday. We need to be a tough unit. We have a job to do in the next seven games.”