|
| Adebayor in Togo quit threat |
1/16/2007 |
|
Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor has threatened to quit his Togo international career in the next six months.
The 22-year-old said he is depressed by the state of the game in Togo which has been dogged by one crisis after another and derailed their debut World Cup appearance.
"If things don''t improve in the next six months, I could stop my international career," said Adebayor in an interview given to the Fifa website.
"While I am prepared to give everything to my country, if they cannot organise things well, I will have to make a decision that is best for my life."
Togo endured a miserable World Cup finals in Germany.
Disputes over bonuses led to the temporary resignation of German coach Otto Pfister and the intervention of Fifa, who bypassed Togolese officials and paid the players directly.
Fifa later fined the national association US$80,000 for bringing the game into disrepute after threatening to boycott a World fixture against Switzerland.
Togo lost to the Swiss and were also beaten by South Korea and eventual runners-up France in the worst showing of the African representatives, on and off the pitch.
They have been through three coaches in 12 months and Adebayor had a spectacular fall-out with former boss Stephen Keshi at the African Nations Cup in Egypt at the start of 2006.
"What happened in the World Cup was unfortunate, but our action (threatening to boycott their Group G game against Switzerland) forced people to realise that things have to change in Togo," said Adebayor.
"That period was difficult for me and I regret what happened."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
