Emmanuel Adebayor To Represent Togo At Nations Cup 2013
https://nigeriaafrica1.blogspot.com/2013/01/emmanuel-adebayor-to-represent-togo-at.html
Tottenham forward Emmanuel Adebayor has reversed his decision not to represent Togo at January's Africa Cup of Nations, leaving Spurs with Jermain Defoe as their only recognised striker.
The 28-year-old initially planned to remain with his club because of a row over team security and unpaid bonuses.
But he will now go to the tournament in South Africa, which starts on 19 January, and may miss six Spurs games.
It is undecided whether he will be available for Saturday's match at QPR.
Adebayor met up with the Togo squad in Ghana for their pre-tournament training camp, but Tottenham are hopeful he can fly back for the trip to Loftus Road before heading off again.
After QPR, Tottenham host Manchester United on 20 January before travelling to Leeds or Birmingham in the FA Cup on 26 Jan.
Away games against Norwich and West Brom precede the visit of Newcastle on 9 February, with the Cup of Nations ending a day later.
Adebayor has scored only three goals in 17 appearances this season but Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas had been counting on him for January.
"At the moment we benefit from that situation," Villas-Boas said of Adebayor's original decision to suspend his international career.
"We'll probably have the player here in January, which is a massive boost as you know, it gives me other options and possibilities.
"[He is] very very important, we are speaking about a player that has meant so much to us."
In Adebayor's absence, the goalscoring burden will rest largely with Defoe, who has struck 14 times in 28 appearances this season.
Winger Gareth Bale is second in Tottenham's scoring charts on 11 goals, while forward Clint Dempsey has six and winger Aaron Lennon three.
But he will now go to the tournament in South Africa, which starts on 19 January, and may miss six Spurs games.
It is undecided whether he will be available for Saturday's match at QPR.
Adebayor met up with the Togo squad in Ghana for their pre-tournament training camp, but Tottenham are hopeful he can fly back for the trip to Loftus Road before heading off again.
After QPR, Tottenham host Manchester United on 20 January before travelling to Leeds or Birmingham in the FA Cup on 26 Jan.
Away games against Norwich and West Brom precede the visit of Newcastle on 9 February, with the Cup of Nations ending a day later.
Adebayor has scored only three goals in 17 appearances this season but Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas had been counting on him for January.
"At the moment we benefit from that situation," Villas-Boas said of Adebayor's original decision to suspend his international career.
"We'll probably have the player here in January, which is a massive boost as you know, it gives me other options and possibilities.
"[He is] very very important, we are speaking about a player that has meant so much to us."
In Adebayor's absence, the goalscoring burden will rest largely with Defoe, who has struck 14 times in 28 appearances this season.
Winger Gareth Bale is second in Tottenham's scoring charts on 11 goals, while forward Clint Dempsey has six and winger Aaron Lennon three.
