Adebayor reveals he is haunted by his stamp on former team-mate Van Persie

06 October 2009 17:11
Emmanuel Adebayor has finally held up his hands and admitted his regret at stamping on former Arsenal team-mate Robin van Persie. Adebayor was handed a three-match ban for connecting with Van Persie's face during Manchester City's 4-2 win over the Gunners at Eastlands last month. The City striker, who made his comeback in Monday night's 1-1 draw at Aston Villa, said: 'It's one of the things that you can't do in football. That's for sure. It's true that if someone did that to me it would annoy and hurt me. I regret it, for sure.' Adebayor left Arsenal in the summer and the Togo international claims Gunners boss Arsene Wenger told him to go as they could not increase his contract. He added: 'I talked with the coach and he told me I was one of Arsenal's best-paid players, that the club was in the red, so maybe they wouldn't be able to pay me any more - it would be better for me to go. I asked him: "Is it your choice or the club's?" 'He answered: "It's everybody's choice, from the whole club". I was pushed out.' Arsenal fans branded the player greedy for leaving the Emirates Stadium but he added in an interview with French television: 'Everybody says Adebayor went for the money. I think a lot of people are wrong because Arsenal bought me for five or six million and they sold me three-and-a-half years later for £25million. So people should know that it's not me who wanted to leave for money, it's Arsenal that forced me to go.' The striker claims the animosity from Arsenal supporters is misplaced. Adebayor was fined £25,000 and handed a suspended two-match ban for running the length of the pitch and celebrating in front of the away fans after scoring at Eastlands. 'I think we are all human beings and there are things we can stand and others we can't. We all have limits. I'm lucky that my mother is still alive. I think I would never accept things being said and done regarding my mother,' he added. wenger Former Mentor: Gunners manager Wenger 'When I heard the fans singing and insulting my parents . . . I couldn't stand it. When I scored, I wanted to show them, "You kicked me out of the club, now I've scored against you". 'It was a response to what happened, but I did not in any way want to provoke them. 'My relationship with Arsenal has broken in two. I wanted to stay. It's true that I didn't score a lot of goals last season, but I was often injured.' Despite claiming that he was forced out of Arsenal, Adebayor still feels that Wenger is a mentor and a friend. He added: 'He's a gentleman. Wenger gave me the opportunity to be where I am today. He's a coach that helped me a lot, who gave me a chance, who's always been there for me in the bad moments. 'He called me, consoled me, gave me good advice, told me what I had to do to become a great player. I can only thank him.'

Source: Daily_Mail