Tony Adams is set to become Granada’s Sporting Director.

Adams played for Arsenal his entire footballing career

Tony Adams was manager of Wycombe Wanderers, Portsmouth and Gabala

Adams turned down a coaching role at Arsenal to go to China

The Arsenal legend was flown in by Chinese owner, John Jhiang, and his DDMC company, to oversee the La Liga club’s search for a new Sporting Director.

Granada have been in a relegation battle and are on their second manager of the season, Lucas Alcaraz. Their previous Sporting Director, Javier Torralbo ‘Piru’, was sacked.

This arrangement came about because of Adams’ connections to China. The ex-defender turned down a coaching role at Arsenal to become head of Chongqing Lifan’s academy in the summer. At Adams’ unveiling, the club also announced a link up with Granada.

Together with Jhiang, it seems that Adams has drawn up a plan for Granada, who currently sit second to last in the La Liga table.

Although it appears that Adams may not be Granada’s long-term Sporting Director, he’s their stand in at the moment and will be acting as such until the club finds someone new. He’s already looking ahead to next season.

The 50-year-old he will pick “one person” to occupy “the position of sports coordinator who works with all heads of department.”

He added, “I do not like the English model of the manager who makes all the decisions or the Spanish model of the sports director, who runs the whole club. I prefer teamwork, with a figure that works with the coach. The person decides the staff, since he has to work with these players day by day, with the coach of the branch, with the Academy; with the scouting team; with medical services; with sports management or with communication.

“I have come to strengthen the club, I am working daily with the technical staff of Granada CF in the future.

“Our idea is to have a template with a majority of Spanish players, whatever the category in which the team is.

“I’m here to put the Spanish structure in place, with players belonging to Granada CF and fighting for Granada.



“We have inherited 106 players of which only 44 are footballers of the Granada CF. Our intention is to return his equipment to Granada so that Granada identifies with his team and his players.”