Adebayor will go to Africa Cup of Nations - Spurs

LONDON (AFP) –

Tottenham Hotspur‘s Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor at White Hart Lane in north London on November 8, 2012. Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday confirmed that their striker Adebayor will join up with the Togo squad for the Africa Cup of Nations starting in South Africa next week.

Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday confirmed that their striker Emmanuel Adebayor will join up with the Togo squad for the Africa Cup of Nations starting in South Africa next week.

“The Club can confirm that Emmanuel Adebayor has been called up by the Togo FA for the forthcoming African Cup of Nations,” read a statement on the Tottenham website.

“The striker will be available for this weekend’s fixture against Queens Park Rangers before travelling out to South Africa to meet up with his international team-mates ahead of the championships.”

Spurs coach Andre Villas-Boas had previously said he would be happy for Adebayor to play in the tournament, despite the fact it would leave him with only one senior striker in Jermain Defoe.

Adebayor, 28, had reportedly been planning to skip the tournament in a dispute over unpaid player bonuses and team security.

He was also thought to be anxious about competing in his first Africa Cup of Nations since the attack on the Togo team bus at the 2010 tournament in Angola in which three people were killed by separatists seeking independence for the oil-rich Cabinda enclave.

Adebayor survived the attack after hiding under a seat.

However, speaking on Monday, Togolese Football Federation president Gabriel Ameyi expressed confidence that the former Arsenal and Manchester City forward would answer his country’s call.

“Of course we are going to the Nations Cup with Adebayor. He will be with us in South Africa,” Ameyi told Algerian radio station Smail Berhaiel.

“It’s very important to have him with us — he’s our best player and the captain of our team. (Ivory Coast striker Didier) Drogba and all the stars will be there, and Adebayor too.”

Togo face a struggle to progress beyond the opening round of the January 19-February 10 tournament, having been drawn alongside Algeria, Tunisia and favourites Ivory Coast in Group D.