Source: Telegraph
SvenGoran Eriksson in Portsmouth frame
The sacking of Adams was confirmed on Monday following a run of just one point from the club's last eight Premier League games and, although Paul Hart has been appointed on a caretaker basis, owner Alexandre Gaydamak is hopeful of recruiting a new manager before the match against Manchester City on Saturday. [LNB]It is understood that Avram Grant and Alan Curbishley, the bookmakers' favourites for the job, do not figure prominently in Gaydamak's thoughts. Other names that will be considered include Slaven Bilic, Graeme Souness, Gerard Houllier and Stoke's Tony Pulis. [LNB]Gaydamak is prepared to sell Portsmouth and the financial constraints that were evident for Adams during last month's transfer window are expected to continue throughout the summer. Whether Portsmouth would be willing to pay the sort of salary that Eriksson might demand is also questionable. [LNB]After his departure last year from Manchester City, the Swede is under pressure in his position as the head coach of Mexico. [LNB]Portsmouth are confident that Adams's successor – whether that is or is not Eriksson – will stand a better chance of keeping the club in the Premier League and, in a statement issued on Monday, they highlighted the amount of dropped points from winning positions during Adams's time at the helm. [LNB]Despite the financial situation at the club, which contributed to the sale of both Lassana Diarra and Jermain Defoe during the transfer window, Adams felt that he needed time and expressed "a little bit of [surprise]" at Portsmouth's decision. [LNB]The former Arsenal captain was informed of his fate on Sunday night and arrived at Portsmouth's Eastleigh training ground shortly after 10am on Monday morning to clear his desk and say his goodbyes. [LNB]Although striker Peter Crouch admitted there had been a dressing room "ruck" among the players after the recent Fulham defeat, Adams felt he had the support of both the players and the Portsmouth fans. [LNB]"I was still up for the challenge," he said. "I think the supporters have rallied and showed their feelings at the weekend [in the 3-2 defeat against Liverpool] so that was nice. I don't think the results have been good, we made bad decisions defensively against Fulham. [LNB]"We are in the results industry and obviously the owner and the chairman will point to that. I haven't had a lot of time here, I've certainly not had the financial backing. [LNB]"That's tough to take, we've had a few injuries as well. I still think if we didn't make the mistakes we could have made the results and things would have been a bit different."[LNB]Richard Bevan, the chief executive of the League Managers' Association, said Adams was "very frustrated at only being given 16 games and three months". [LNB]He added: "That isn't in my opinion long enough to build relations with the team and the club and all the stakeholders. It is a worrying trend. The average tenure at the moment for a manager is 15-16 months, which is the lowest it has ever been."[LNB]Despite having won just 16 of 75 matches as manager of Wycombe then Portsmouth, Adams is adamant he will not walk away from management. [LNB]"I've possibly made two bad decisions," he said. "In an ideal world you go in at the beginning of the season, you get your group of players, you get a fair budget, realistic expectations and give it a crack. I was certainly up for the challenge. I think I could have turned it around. [LNB]"It's not turned me off management, but I'll make sure I get all the parameters sorted out before I walk into the next one."[LNB]
