Source: Team_Talk
ANC must go on, says Wenger
Togo, captained by former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor, have decided to pull out of the tournament following an attack on their team bus which left three people dead, but Wenger claims the tournament must go on.[LNB]The bus came under machine gunfire on Friday just after it had crossed the border from the Democratic Republic of Congo into the Angolan enclave of Cabinda.[LNB]Manchester City have confirmed Adebayor will be returning home, but Wenger maintains there will be no calls for either Cameroon international Song or Ivory Coast midfielder Eboue to return to London.[LNB]Wenger said: "I do not believe you can just stop any competition at any incident, because that will reward people who provoke the incidents.[LNB]"That means any competition in the world will be stoppable at any time.[LNB]"The international federation has to make sure the security is good enough for the competition and maybe you have to leave it to some individual players that if they feel scared then there is the possibility they could move out of the competition.[LNB]"I personally feel that the competition has to go on."[LNB]Concerns had previously been expressed about the choice of venue for the African Nations Cup.[LNB]Togo coach Hubert Velud said the authorities should seriously consider whether to call off the whole tournament, although Angola insist their country is committed to hosting a secure competition and said they would step up security.[LNB]Wenger said: "Angola is a troubled country because there is political unrest and rebels fighting against the Government, so it can be dangerous.[LNB]"I do not know well enough what happened, but it looks strange to me that the team travelled from Congo to Angola knowing there were rebels on the border."[LNB]Everton have both Joseph Yobo and Yakubu Aiyegbeni away at the tournament with Nigeria.[LNB]Toffees manager David Moyes said: "The club have contacted Joseph Yobo, and Yak is with him as well.[LNB]"They've said they're okay, but obviously it's a concern for football - not just for the African Nations Cup, but for all sorts of tournaments.[LNB]"I think it's the thing about terrorism in general that you shouldn't bow to it.[LNB]"That would be the case, but it's a concern to think of the travelling, the way the hotels and most of the journalists who will be going to the World Cup - it will be on your mind too."[LNB]Moyes added: "I think everyone had concerns about Angola, but we are trying to give everyone an opportunity, that's what we're doing and we should be doing."[LNB]Hibernian boss John Hughes has defender Sol Bamba on international duty with Ivory Coast and was also concerned about the safety of the player.[LNB]"We've been trying to get in touch with him just to make sure that everything's all right," he said.[LNB]"Whenever tragedy happens in football, it's worldwide; football comes together.[LNB]"From everybody at Hibs, all our condolences go out to the bus driver and the players in the Togo team.[LNB]"It's a FIFA-run tournament and they'll be under really good security, that's for sure.[LNB]"But we're just trying to make contact with him just to make sure that everything's okay.[LNB]"I'm quite happy that he's in good, safe hands."[LNB]Asked if he wanted to pull Bamba out, Hughes said: "No. I'll put all my trust in FIFA and the tournament organisers."[LNB]Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill would be happy to see Moustapha Salifou back with the squad after the Togo midfielder was directly caught up in yesterday's attack.[LNB]"I wasn't really expecting anything like this," O'Neill said on www.avfc.co.uk.[LNB]"He's pretty shaken but he's unhurt and that's the most important thing.[LNB]"(Whether they leave Angola), that's a decision for them to make but I'd love to see Moustapha back. He's a great character and he's very, very popular with the players."[LNB]Hull boss Phil Brown confirmed he wants his two players on cup duty - Gabon striker Daniel Cousin and Nigeria midfielder Seyi Olofinjana - to return to England.[LNB]Brown said in The Sun: "I am appalled. This throws a question mark against next summer's World Cup.[LNB]"You simply cannot put the safety of players, officials and fans at the slightest risk. That is totally unacceptable."[LNB][LNB][LNB]
