Premiership managers want African Nations Cup scrapped!

• zocoss

  9 Jan 10, 11:12

   

  

  Terror ... Togo's squad - including Manchester City star Emmanuel Adebayor (back row, far right) - came under attack

   

   

  A BUS carrying the Togo national football team was blasted with gunfire in Angola, killing a driver and injuring two players and two team staff.

  Manchester City's £25million star striker Adebayor, 25, and Aston Villa midfielder Moustapha Salifou, 26, both play for the Togolese national side.

  A Manchester City club spokesman confirmed tonight that Adebayor was unhurt in the attack. Togo and Nantes striker Thomas Dossevi said shortly after the attack: "I'm OK but several players are in a bad state.

  "We are still at hospital. We were machine-gunned like dogs. They were armed to the teeth. We had to remain hidden under our seats for around 20 minutes to avoid the bullets.

  "We had just crossed the border five minutes before, we were surrounded by police buses, one in front of us another behind. "Everything was fine and then there was a powerful burst of gunfire.

  "Everyone threw themselves under the seats and tried to protect themselves but some couldn't escape the bullets. "It lasted a good 15 minutes, the police fired back but really, it was hard to handle and it still is now. I'm shocked.

  "When we got off the bus we were asking ourselves why us and not others? We were asking ourselves what had happened, we were crying and thanking God."

  The side are in the country for the African Nations Cup, which kicks off on Sunday.

  Togolese football federation vice president Gabriel Ameyi said backup goalkeeper Obilale Kossi and central defender Serge Akakpo were among those hurt.

  Mr Ameyi said: "They should not have traveled by road. They did not tell CAF (Confederation of African Football) that they were traveling by road. They should have flown to Angola."

  Romanian side FC Vaslui confirmed Akakpo, 22, who joined them from French side Auxerre last year, was shot and badly injured in the attack.

  A club statement said: "Badly injured in an ambush in Angola, Serge Akakpo is now out of danger. "Akakpo was struck by two bullets in the attack and has lost much blood. His condition was stabilised by doctors.

  "FC Vaslui have been in touch with relatives of the player, who confirmed he has undergone surgery, which went very well."

  Midfielder Alaixys Romao admitted the players feared the worst and thinks Togo are now likely to pull out of the tournament. The Grenoble player said: "We're not thinking yet of what could happen.

  "But it's true that no-one wants to play. "We're not capable of it. "We're thinking first of all about the health of our injured because there was a lot of blood on the ground.

  "For the moment there is not much news because they have been taken to different hospitals.

  "In cases like these we're thinking of those near us, of those we love because that really could have been the end of us."

  Togo are scheduled to begin their cup campaign against Ghana on Monday. Midfielder Richmond Forson claimed the number of injuries would have been much worse had the gunmen not originally fired on the wrong bus.

  He said: "It was the bus carrying our baggage, which was in front of us, which they fired on the most. They thought we were in the bus in front, fortunately for us. That's what saved us.

  "Then they fired on our driver and those who were in front. The windscreen was shattered by the first bullets. "It's disgusting to take bullets for a football match."

  A Togolese sports ministry spokesman said: "The Angolan driver was killed on the spot," adding that the attack took place in the Angolan region of Cabinda.

  Following the attack, a Portsmouth FC spokesman said the club would consider recalling its players from the African tournament.

  Portsmouth has Nwankwo Kanu with Nigeria, Aruna Dindane with the Ivory Coast, and both Nadir Belhadj and Hassan Yebda in the Algeria squad.

  Club spokesman Gary Double said the club has asked the English Football Association to seek assurances from world governing body FIFA that Angola is safe for its players.

  He added: "Our players' safety is paramount and if it can't be guaranteed the players should be sent home."

   

• zocoss

  9 Jan 10, 11:16

  Emmanuel Adebayor reveals his Togo team-mates want to quit Africa Cup of nations after terror bus attack kills one and injures six

   

  

  Terror ordeal: Adebayor escaped unhurt from the Togo team bus attack in Africa

   

  Emmanuel Adebayor admitted a lot of his Togo team-mates wanted to quit the
  African Nations Cup at the earliest opportunity following the attack on their team bus in Angola in which two players were shot and their bus driver was killed outright.

  The Manchester City striker, who revealed the terrifying attack en route to the team's base in the Cabinda province lasted 30 minutes, will convene a team meeting as captain at which the squad will discuss whether they stay in Angola or return to their clubs.

  'I think a lot of players want to leave, I don't think they want to be at this tournament any more because they have seen their death already,' he told BBC Radio 5Live

  'Most of the players want to go back to their family. No-one can sleep after what they have seen today. They have seen one of their team-mates have a bullet in his body, who is crying, who is losing consciousness and everything.

  'So we will have a good meeting tonight, everyone will go to their room, they will rest and we will see tomorrow morning we will make a decision which is good for our life.'

  Adebayor added: "We are still in shock. If the security is not sure then we will be leaving tomorrow. I don't think they will be ready to give their life.

  Decision time: Terrified Togo players do not want to play in Angola, says Adebayor. 'We will discuss everything as a team and we will take a decision that we think is good for our career, is good for our life and good for our family.'

   

• Poignant

  9 Jan 10, 13:37

  i swear arsenal fans would love him to be dead

• Poignant

  9 Jan 10, 13:41

  Man City striker Adebayor admits Togo players in shock

  Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor admits Togo's African Nations Cup campaign is in chaos after their team bus was attacked.
  Adebayor admitted a lot of his Togo team-mates wanted to quit the African Nations Cup at the earliest opportunity following the attack on their team bus in Angola in which two players were shot and their bus driver was killed outright.

  The Manchester City striker, who revealed the terrifying attack en route to the team's base in the Cabinda province lasted 30 minutes, will convene a team meeting as captain at which the squad will discuss whether they stay in Angola or return to their clubs.

  He told BBC Radio Five Live: "I think a lot of players want to leave, I don't think they want to be at this tournament any more because they have seen their death already.

  "Most of the players want to go back to their family. No-one can sleep after what they have seen. They have seen one of their team-mates have a bullet in his body, who is crying, who is losing consciousness and everything.

  "So we will have a good meeting, everyone will go to their room, they will rest and we will see. [On Saturday morning] we will make a decision which is good for our life."

  Adebayor added: "We are still in shock. If the security is not sure then we will be leaving. I don't think they will be ready to give their life. We will discuss everything as a team and we will take a decision that we think is good for our career, is good for our life and good for our family."

• I-like-flings(m)

  9 Jan 10, 13:45

  of cos go home lah.... go back home shiok shiok.... why bother for a stupid cup if u can get killed for it?? not worth it at all

• Poignant

  9 Jan 10, 17:18

  Premiership managers want African Nations Cup scrapped after shooting

  

  
  

  Premiership managers want the African Nations Cup cancelled after the attack on Togo's team bus yesterday.

  Manchester City will hold emergency talks with the FA after their striker Emmanuel Adebayor was caught up in the Togo gun horror.

  Hull boss Phil Brown wants his two players back home now.

  He said: "I am appalled. This throws a question mark against next summer's World Cup. You simply cannot put the safety of players, officials and fans at the slightest risk. That is totally unacceptable.

  "I have two players - Daniel Cousin and Seyi Olofinjana - on duty and I want them back home here with us as quickly as possible."

  Portsmouth, who have four senior players in Africa, also want FIFA to stop the tournament going ahead tomorrow.

  The Togo team coach driver was killed - and two players injured - when armed fanatics opened fire with machine guns at two buses.

  Adebayor and other players frantically ducked behind seats as gunshots peppered the bus during a vicious 20-minute attack.

  Pompey chief executive Peter Storrie said: "This is a terrible, tragic incident and I am very concerned about this whole situation. The safety of all the players must be paramount and that's why I believe they should all come home as soon as possible.

  "We have four out there and, although they are not with the Togo team, you naturally worry about their well-being in the light of such an awful attack. That's why I'll be calling the FA to ask them to contact FIFA as soon as possible to see what is going to happen next.

  "I know what should happen. It's common sense to scrap the tournament and bring them home."

• Poignant

  9 Jan 10, 21:08

  Togo Team Quit African Cup Of Nations And Return To Lome

  The Sparrow Hawks have headed for the airport.

  

  Angola 2010,Caf

  
  

  The Togo national football team have pulled out of the African Cup of Nations (ACN) in Angola and decided to fly home, according to RMC radio.
  
  On Friday the Togolese team bus was attacked by rebels as it entered the Angolan province of Cabinda, resulting in the death of the driver, and injuries to two players and two team officials.
  
  While the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have declared that the ACN will not be canceled, Togo's part in the tournament now appears to have come to an end as the team have arrived at an airport in order to return to Lome, the Togolese capital.

• stellazio

  9 Jan 10, 21:11

  but why are they being attacked? who will want them deadd?

• Poignant

  9 Jan 10, 21:12

  i think too sian already, then those ppl decided to play their own 'games' lor

• gasband

  9 Jan 10, 22:13

  its sad when sports are destroyed and innocent people are killed becos of political fightings. I can imagine how the family of the bus driver must have felt. Now a spokesman and an assistant coach is also confirmed dead. Why cant people settle differences without blood being shed?

• Poignant

  9 Jan 10, 22:14

  most innocent one is the driver.

  for nothing, wtf?