Arsene Wenger has branded Tony Adams’ criticism of his management as “sad” and insists he is only focused on Arsenal securing Champions League qualification because “I’m not here to sell books”.

Former Gunners captain Adams claimed in his forthcoming autobiography entitled “Sober” that Wenger “could not coach his way out of a paper bag” and that he was denied the chance to join the club’s backroom staff on four separate occasions.

Adams, who eventually took a coaching role with Arsenal’s Under-18s before leaving to join Chinese Super League club Chongqing Lifan after a month, added: “Much as I respected him for his long and successful tenure, my occasional willingness to pass comment on him and the team probably counted against me.”

Adams played under Wenger for six years before his retirement in 2002. His first foray into management took him to Wycombe prior to spells at Portsmouth and Azerbaijan Premier League side Gabala. He is now in temporary charge of Spanish side Granada, whose relegation from La Liga is already confirmed.

Asked if he was hurt by Adams’ comments, Wenger said: “No. He can show what he can do now. Who gives importance to that? I know him for a long time. It’s sad.

“I am respectful to everybody. I don’t have anything to say about that. For me it’s a subject of no interest and so I would like to dedicate my time to something that is more interesting.

“In a football club today, you have to employ people who can help you to be successful. And sometimes it is [necessary] to make harsh decisions. But there is no right…I think if I leave tomorrow Arsenal I have no right to come back, because I have worked here.

“You have to be needed. And like you have made a career as a player somewhere, it doesn’t give you any divine right to come back. That’s what it is. Because all the players, at some stage, they decide to leave, when their interest was to leave. It is not like some players have never left the club. When it was their interest to go somewhere else, they went somewhere else.”

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Adams joins a lengthening list of ex-players including Thierry Henry, Paul Merson and Ian Wright to have criticised Wenger amid continues fan unrest at the prospect of the 67-year-old signing a new contract to stay on next season.

Wenger has repeatedly refused to publicly declare his intentions, meaning Arsenal supporters will be in the dark as to whether Sunday’s final home match of the season against Everton will be the last time he manages the team at Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners need a win while hoping either Liverpool or Manchester City drop points to ensure they finish in the top four and Wenger said: “What is most important for me is to do the job well and finish the season as strongly as we can. If we finish the job well, it can be maximum one point short. After we look where did waste this point and you find many reasons where you lost this point. That’s part of it. Let’s do well and after, I’m not here for personal glory or to sell books, I’m here to do the job.”

Wenger’s future is set to be determined at a board meeting to be held after the FA Cup Final against Chelsea on 27 May.