Premier League defenders don’t come much better than Tony Adams, with the Arsenal legend a key figure of the Gunners’ back four for nearly 20 years.
After retiring, Adams moved into coaching, with his first managerial job coming at Wycombe Wanderers in the old Second Division (now League One). There, the former Arsenal centre-back helped impart his wisdom on the squad – and a young Steven Taylor, who joined on a month-long loan from Newcastle United.
Though still only 17 and with no experience of first team football, Adams trusted Taylor enough to start him in all six of the Wycombe’s games he was contracted to the club for. Though the Chair Boys suffered three defeats, Taylor also tasted two wins and a draw.
Arsenal legend Tony Adams helps toughen up Steven Taylor
It’s about how Adams worked that really struck the young defender, however, helping him learn invaluable lessons as he attempted to break into the Newcastle first team.
“The best thing for me as a young player was going on loan to Wycombe,” Taylor tells FourFourTwo.” Working under Tony Adams was amazing, but I got absolutely battered there. It was exactly what I needed. It toughened me up.
“You understand how much it means to the lads and learn that they needed the win bonuses to pay their mortgages. We were pampered at Newcastle. At Wycombe, you had really tough games and hostile atmospheres. It’s about how you deal with that.
“I’d advise any kid to go out on loan and gain that experience, because when you get a chance, you’ve got to be ready for it. When I eventually made my home debut at St James’ Park, I knew I was fit and strong enough to come up against anyone. I wasn’t afraid of anything.”
When he did return to Newcastle at the beginning of 2004, Taylor still had to bide his time. Manager Sir Bobby Robson involved the youngster in a comprehensive 7-1 aggregate victory over Mallorca in the UEFA Cup, before handing him his full debut – at right-back – in a 1-0 defeat away to Bolton a few days later.
“Sir Bobby’s a legend in the game,” Taylor adds. “For a young player to leave school and go straight into the reserves and first team, and be around him, was unbelievable. I think Sir Bobby knew early on that, at 16, I was pushing to be in the squad. In my head, I wanted to be there and felt I should be. That’s how much confidence I had in my ability.
“I was very lucky that Newcastle’s centre-halves at the time pushed me. I won the Wor Jackie Award for best academy player and turned up wearing a white tuxedo while everyone else was in black – I was so confident back then. I’d go into matches with the mindset not simply to win, but to make sure whoever I was playing against was in for a very tough game. I relished that physical aspect.
“It wasn’t arrogance – it was confidence. There was Shay Given behind me, Alan Shearer in attack, Gary Speed, Jonathan Woodgate… I looked up to those guys.”
Playing under Robson had plenty of perks, too, especially with the legendary boss imparting nuggets of information Taylor now uses himself as a manager in the UAE.
“It was always about outworking whoever was against you, and making sure that no one else could take your shirt,” Taylor says. “In the reserves, I was asking why I wasn’t in the first team. I believed I was ready. Sir Bobby said, ‘You need to reach a point where no one can take your shirt.’
“I’ve taken what I learnt from Sir Bobby into my coaching as well. Before you go into tactics and all of the behind-the-scenes stuff, you have to understand individuals and how you’ll get the best out of them.’
