In doing so, he has turned down a number of managerial offers as, like Arsene Wenger, he believes would-be bosses should train themselves properly in advance.

After all, he saw what happened to O'Leary as the fall-out of the court case involving Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate, allied to his decision to write a book and publicly criticise his players, eventually led to him being forced out of his job.

Adams is determined to ensure that he does not also fall off the managerial perch so easily if he ever does enter that world.

So with his impending sports science degree course, he has set out to arm himself with the skills that he believes O'Leary inevitably lacked at Leeds.

Adams told the Evening Standard: "I have had several offers to go into management and it is always nice to be wanted, but I have decided on what I am going to do and that is spend the next three years studying for my degree.

"There is so much involved in being a manager. I don't think you can just walk into it. There is man management, coaching, everything.

"I don't feel the FA coaching badge covers enough of that aspect to prepare you for management."

He added: "Look at what happened to David O'Leary. Lovely man, David, a great guy. Like me, he gave 20 years of his life to being a player, and was manager at a fantastic club.

"But he had no preparation for what the job entailed. He didn't know how to recognise addiction, for instance. Management, compared to being a player, is a different ball game.

"You have to be prepared for it because there are many things you have to deal with, almost on a 24/7 basis."

As for Adams turning to management in the future, who knows?

Given the lessons learned amid his battle against alcoholism, he does not plan that far ahead although he has also agreed to be part of UNESCO's Foundation of Sport for Peace.

At least he has no regrets about his decision to announce his retirement, meaning he will be on holiday in the south of France this Sunday when Arsenal begin the defence of their title against Birmingham.

Leading Arsenal out will be their new skipper, Patrick Vieira, and Adams approves wholeheartedly of the promotion for his former vice-captain.

"He's a great man and a wonderful player. I think he's going to be an excellent captain. I loved playing alongside him and he is a natural leader," he said.

"He has that ability any captain must have - to help the players around him while losing nothing of his own game.

"He will grow into the job and I hope that he picks up as many trophies for Arsenal that I was lucky enough to collect in my time."