Togo midfielder Mani Sapol: Adebayor will come back

03 Dec 2012 7:41:00 PM

The Togo international says he believes their captain will back off from his decision to suspend his engagement with the Sparrow Hawks and participate at the 2013 Afcon

Following Emmanuel Adebayor’s decision to pull out of Togo team in the wake of a match bonus row with the football federation, his team mate Mani Sapol, who plays for Algerian side CA Batna, said on Monday the Tottenham striker would likely change his mind because of his love for the country.

Adebayor, who made a definite return to the Sparrow Hawks this year after two years of absence, stunned the West African nation during the weekend when he announced on a local radio station in Lome that he was suspending his international career and would not be playing at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, after helping the team to qualify for the tournament.

“Adebayor said the truth about what is currently happening in our team. He is a very sincere person and doesn’t like hiding his feelings,” the 21-year-old Sapol told Senegal press agency APS.

“I know him very well. He took this decision out of anger and will surely come back to the team after it boils down because of his love for the country and his fans.”

Two other players goalkeeper Kossi Agassa and midfielder Alaixys Romao of French Ligue 1 side Lorient have also threatened to withdraw from the outfit in solidarity with Adebayor.

Togo coach Didier Six said on Monday he would decide in the next 72 hours whether to continue or resign after describing his captain’s departure as painful and regrettable.

“I don’t think our coach Didier Six will decide to leave. It is true he’s facing pressure from players and officials but I feel he will choose to stay on board and lead us to South Africa,” Sapol said.

Togo are in Group D alongside Cote D’Ivoire, Algeria and Tunisia, and will open their campaign against the Elephants on January 22 at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg.

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