Adams hails young Gunners

Arsenal FC have their hands on the new European Champion Clubs' Cup. However, FC Barcelona supporters need not fret as former Gunners captain Tony Adams was only posing with the greatest prize in club football for an eve-of-final photo shoot.

Coaching role
Arsenal's most successful skipper is in Paris as a spokesman for MasterCard, one of the UEFA Champions League official partners, and he and the new trophy were quickly mobbed by the early arrivals among the Arsenal fans at the Stade de France. Adams, who has been building up his coaching experience with Feyenoord and FC Utrecht, spoke to uefa.com.

uefa.com: As a defender, what advice would you have for Arsenal as they look to keep Ronaldinho quiet?

Tony Adams: Concentration is crucial, you have to be focused. These games are about concentration because you have to react quickly against guys who are so sharp. You have to be mentally tough because one lapse can lead to an error. So come off the pitch with a headache and a trophy.

uefa.com: Do you see any similarities between Arsenal's record-setting defence and the great defence you played in?

Adams: None at all, although we were young at the start I suppose. I take my hat off to them. They have been superb - not in the league it must be said - but defensively in the Champions League they have been phenomenal. Certainly Mathieu Flamini would not be my choice of left-back but he has slipped in there. Philippe Senderos was really struggling at the beginning of the season but has come good. It is always tough for a kid when you get in so early. The second season is usually the tester but he has come through it. Sol Campbell looks like he's back on track and really wants to fight for his place in the [FIFA] World Cup. The right-back Emmanuel Eboué has been amazing. He has been getting up and back, his stamina is quite incredible. And Jens Lehmann has been the main man really.

uefa.com: Kolo Touré has said he learned a lot from you when he started at Arsenal. What do you think are the most important things for a young defender to pick up?

Adams: When you're 17 you are not going to have that experience - so what can you give to the team? You can give enthusiasm. The first thing I noticed about Kolo was his attitude, it was unbelievable. So the first thing you have to have is the attitude. You have to want to be a defender first and foremost, to want to keep the ball out of the goal. My advice is first and foremost be a defender. Be tough, be strong and stay on your feet.

uefa.com: It must be difficult for a defender to mark Thierry Henry given his propensity for drifting to the left. Do you have to share the responsibility with the full-back?

Adams: In training, when I used to mark him, I used to try and kick him but he was usually too quick. Even when you show him on to his weaker foot, he still seems to have the pace to skip around you. We tended to say to Lee Dixon in training 'he's all yours', and let him get on with it. The communication and the pass over to your full-back are crucial. I haven't seen one team do what we used to do with Martin Keown and use a defender as a man-marker. I'm surprised with the talent that the guy has got, that no team does that but rather they keep their shape and play around him.