Do you think Tony Adams will be a success as manager of Portsmouth?

There's never any guarantees in management, because we've seen experienced guys fall by the wayside and we've seen guys with almost no experience come in and do really well.

I think it's a good appointment for Portsmouth because what it will do is give Tony an opportunity to build on what he has already achieved at the club. He's part of the furniture and he's worked closely with Harry Redknapp and Joe Jordan and I think continuity is very important.

But things can change, Pompey are a club that are strapped for cash right now, so it might not be easy for Tony to start with.

Times Archive, 1983: Tony Adams' Arsenal debut

Adams, a 17-year-old, got an early pass, nervously lost control, and the ball went to West, who hit a speculative long shot past Jennings

• Times Archive: Sport

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How is Adams regarded within the game?

I think everyone respects Tony because of the type of player he was. He had this never-say-die attitude, was always committed right to the end and that was is the type of man he was.

I think you have to take who you were as a player into management with you, but you have to remember that Tony has changed enormously from the man he was as a player. I think off the field problems have been a big factor and I think they have made him change as a person.

I don't recognise him, certainly not from the person I first met. He was one of the lads, full of banter and going out and enjoying himself. Now he is a far quieter man and he's a very serious guy.

I think there was too many things in his life at one stage and that obviously caused him problems. I think his attitude changed dramatically, the loss of his parents had a big effect on him and I think he saw the light, and saw that he had to change because he saw he was spiralling out of control. Not just as a footballer but as a person.

Forget about football, he had spiralled out of control. Tony stood in front of the mirror one day, took a look at himself and realised things had to change.

How will his appointment go down in the dressing room?

I think the players will welcome it. I think they will like the fact there isn't going to be much upheaval and they can just get on with their jobs the way they have been doing under Harry.

One thing I always feared with Pompey was that they would just go from black to white and that would have been a bad idea, the players wouldn't have enjoyed that. But Tony getting the job means they keep the continuity going and that can only be a positive thing.

Adams is seen as a bit of an eccentric these days, do you have any fears on that front?

I don't think so. He's a football man through and through and although he might have changed as a person, his knowledge of the game is still there.

I think he can be a success as a manager, he's certainly not one of the lads now, he's actually quite bland and withdrawn and that might work in his favour.