Emmanuel Adebayor called time on his football career on Tuesday morning and here Daily Star Sport have compiled the most mad and controversial moments of the ex-Arsenal, Man City and Tottenham forward’s career
Emmanuel Adebayor’s had some mad and controversial moments on and off the pitch in his eccentric life thus far.
The 39-year-old scored 207 goals in 503 appearances in his illustrious career, with 97 of those strikes taking place in the Premier League during spells at Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham and Crystal Palace. But the striker’s known just as much for his eccentric behaviour as he is for his attacking prowess.
And following his retirement announcement on Tuesday, Daily Star Sport takes a deep delve into some of the most controversial moments of his rollercoaster career. Be prepared for a thrilling ride as we relive the ex-Gunner’s erratic encounters including his wild celebration against Arsenal – to the harrowing Togo bus attack he was involved in.
Arsenal celebration
Adebayor rattled Arsenal fans when he goaded them after scoring against his former side for Manchester City.
He left the Gunners to join City in 2009, and in his first match against the North London club, Adebayor ran the length of the pitch to revel in the moment in front of an incensed Arsenal crowd.
In return, they pelted him with missiles as he held his arms out in front of them. It was the first of two times in his career that Adebayor fell foul of Arsenal fans as he later went on to join Tottenham following his stint with City.
Munching muffins in the gym
Players usually use the gym to keep fit and strong for their gruelling match schedules. But Adebayor decided to lounge around in the sessions, stuffing his face with muffins instead of working out, to the disdain of former team-mates who branded him “lazy”.
One of his ex-Palace peers, Brede Hangeland, said, via The Mirror: “When we had strength workouts he would sit in the gym with just a cup of coffee and a muffin. He was being paid by [Manchester] City, Tottenham and Palace at the same time, and he was sitting in the gym drinking coffee. Incredible natural talent, but very lazy.”
Mega mansion and personalised stuff
When he weren’t causing havoc on the pitch. Adebayor spent time chilling in his luxurious mega mansion, complete with personalised items to keep him entertained.
The huge compound in Accra, Ghana, boasts a cinema room, a private gym, and an outdoor swimming pool. Guests visiting his not-so-humble abode are welcomed by a matt that reads, ‘SEA’ – the initials to his full name Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor.
Adebayor’s name and logo also appears on his personalised pool table. And he’s clearly chuffed with the large living space, when unveiling it on social media, he said: “SEA, This house represents more than just luxury. It’s a reminder that with hard work, discipline, and faith in a higher power, anything is possible. May my story inspire you to never give up on your dreams, no matter how big they may seem.”
Refusing to train at City
Adebayor tainted his legacy at City shortly after tarnishing his name with Arsenal.
Despite endearing himself to City fans with his stunt against the Gunners, the striker was soon looking for another club just a year after joining Roberto Mancini’s side, as the Italian deemed the erratic forward surplus to requirements.
He was shipped on loan to Real Madrid but failed to break into City’s squad upon his return, despite helping Los Blancos bag the La Liga title with eight goals in 22 matches. Mancini was unfazed by his efforts and kept the forward out of City’s US Tour in the summer of 2011.
This didn’t sit well with Adebayor, who in return refused to train with the club’s reserve team as it was an ‘insult’ to do so. His petulance marked the end of his City career as the club subsequently shipped him on loan to Tottenham while launching an investigation to determine if he was in breach of his contract.
Contract terminated at Olimpia
Adebayor’s contract woes followed him to South America when he played for Olimpia in Paraguay. The side ripped up his contract when the striker was unable to return to the club during the coronavirus pandemic as he was in his homeland, Togo.
But for his troubles, Fifa’s football tribunal ordered Olimpia to pay Adebayor 510,000 dollars (£420,000), plus 12% interest backdated to 2020 as a result of his unfair dismissal. In his last appearance for the club, Adebayor received a red card for a flying karate kick on Defensa y Justicia’s Enzo Coacci.
Refusal to donate to Togo’s battle against Covid-19
Despite making 65 international appearances for Togo, scoring 26 goals and providing four assists, Adebayor didn’t feel the need to contribute to the country’s battle against coronavirus.
Although he was in the country during the pandemic, he chose not to contribute financially to the ailing country’s plight. Unlike African counterparts Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o, who handed over handsome sums to their nations, Adebayor made it clear he wouldn’t be departing with any funds for the cause because he wasn’t responsible for bringing the virus to the country.
In a defiant Facebook live video message, he declared: “I always do things according to the wishes of my heart and not according to the words of others. I’m sorry that people compare me to Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba by asking me why I don’t have a foundation or why I don’t donate, as if I was the one who brought the coronavirus to Togo…
“I am neither the one nor the other, I am me, Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor. A word of advice for the guys regarding donations, I will not do that. Everything is clear and very simple. Thank you and good day.”
Togo attack
Adebayor was present for the harrowing bus attack Togo faced in 2010.
Armed gunmen attacked Togo’s national side’s bus as they prepared for the World Cup. The attack, in which the Togolese football team were ambushed by machine-gun-toting gang members who held them for 30 minutes as they crouched in fear under the bus seats.
The attack resulted in two of Togo’s players, and the driver being killed, along with nine other wounded parties. Luckily, Adebayor was unscathed physically but the scars remained emotionally, as he revealed to The Sun.
He explained after the attack: “It was hard to bounce back after that. I thought a lot about what had happened and I knew I could have been killed. But after a year or so I knew I had to move on and stop dwelling on the attack so I said to myself ‘you are still alive, so you have to keep working and enjoying yourself’ – and I have done that quite well.”
But despite the star hanging up his boots, we can be prepared for more wild moments from Adebayor as he enters the next phase of his life. He told fans while making the announcement: “From the highs to the lows, my career as a professional athlete has been an incredible journey.
“Thank you to my fans for being there every step of the way. I am feeling so grateful for everything and I am excited for what is to come.”
SOURCE: dailystar.co.uk
