Togolese international, Emmanuel Adebayor has offered an insight into some of the African teams who will represent their countries at the 2014 World Cup. Speaking to Daily Express, the former Manchester City player started with Ivory Coast which boasts of fantastic players like Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure, but his analysis of the team was a bit harsh.
“I never trust them. They are the country that will always let you down. I know all of them from the bench to the manager. Sabri Lamouchi their coach is my very good friend. How come for the last four or five years have they not won the African Cup of Nations? They have got the best striker in Europe in Didier Drogba. They have got the best midfielder today, Yaya Toure. You’ve got one of the best strikers in the league today, the one that plays at Swansea, Wilfried Bony. You have all of those players.
“But the thing is, are they going to be collective enough? I don’t know. I am not an Ivorian. They will be talking, laughing and enjoying themselves but when the time comes, they will forget about their job. There’s no togetherness. Everyone wants to be the hero. Everybody wants to be the one to finish on a high so the folks remember them for what I have done, not for what we have done as a generation, nor for what we have done as team. Everyone wants to be like a hero and that is what is killing Ivory Coast.”
The 30 year-old however spoke highly of the Nigeria squad: “Out of these teams, my choice for which of the African teams will go the furthest would be Nigeria because of their concentration. Because of Stephen Keshi the coach, he knows a lot about football and everything. He has been there as well as a player for Nigeria. And they have got Victor Moses, who is a great friend of mine, and I like the way he plays. Jon Obi Mikel played a lot for Chelsea this year and showed how good he is. Their goalkeeper is very good. Nigeria have all the ingredients to be good in the World Cup.”
The Tottenham forward has also backed the Ghanaian team to do well in the tournament. “Ghana have a good team. I hope they do well but they have done everything that is possible. Asamoah Gyan is a great player and great friend of mine but he is now playing in Dubai. He is still their main man. If he is not in form or if he does not match the level of the World Cup, then Ghana will struggle.
Indeed they will. In fact, during my time as a player, I got to know many of those who will be taking part in the World Cup for their respective African nations. Experienced players like Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari will need to be at their best to help Ghana.” He concluded.