Emmanuel Adebayor insists Arsenal fans' abuse justifies his goal celebration

18 September 2009 08:23
In an interview with the Sun, the Togo international discussed the ill-treatment he received before and during the match from both Arsenal players and supporters, why he celebrated his goal the way he did, his crunching tackle on Robin van Persie , any regrets and the return fixture next April. [LNB]Abuse before and during the match:[LNB] Related ArticlesCesc Fàbregas accuses Emmanuel AdebayorArsenal buoyed by Van Persie recoveryArsenal v Wigan: match previewEduardo winner 'inevitable'Adebayor accepts banStandard Liège 2 Arsenal 3"There is only so much abuse a man can take until he reaches breaking point. I could not understand some of the Arsenal players being disrespectful towards me. [LNB]"I was being abused by people who six months ago were singing my name. The abuse was for no reason. It wasn't my fault I left, it was Arsene who wanted to accept the offer for me. They were all clapping Kolo but they were shouting personal abuse at me before the match had even kicked off. [LNB]"People talk about us as being football players and the money we earn, but just because we are fortunate it does not mean we need to take abuse. If you were to abuse a man in the street for over an hour he would react and it would be a worse reaction than a goal celebration."[LNB]Treatment by former teammates: [LNB]"There were players from Arsenal who refused to shake my hand before the match. I don't want to give you their names - that is not my style - but there's more than one of them. Emmanuel Adebayor insists any man would react the [LNB]"My friends, like Eboue, were fine with me. They are decent people. But I could not understand some of the Arsenal players being disrespectful towards me. These are people I have spent a lot of time with and people I thought were my friends. [LNB]"I can just about understand the fans' reaction because they don't know the full story. However the way some of the players behaved is just crazy. [LNB]"When a man offers you his hand, you shake it. For them to act like that was a disgrace." [LNB]His tackle on Robin van Persie:[LNB]"I am sorry Robin got hurt but I can't regret something I did not mean to do. Anybody who knows me knows I would not set out to hurt anybody and I would especially not mean to hurt an old team-mate. [LNB]"I really am glad Robin was OK because I know my stud was close to his eye but there was really nothing I could have done - there was no way I could have got out of the way in time."[LNB]His goal celebration:[LNB]"I scored and wanted to show people it is not a good idea to abuse me. I really didn't understand it at all. I was running on pure emotion and when you take emotion out of football we are going to have a big problem. [LNB]"People say I had time to think about because I ran the length of the pitch but that is not true. I was abused all match and scored a goal I knew would win the game for us. Ten seconds is nothing - your emotion is going to last a lot longer than that."[LNB]Regrets: [LNB]"I know a stweard got hurt and I really do want to say sorry for that because he didn't ask for any of this - he was just a man doing his job. Emotions were running high for me and it is obvious they were for Arsenal fans as well. [LNB]"They had just seen me score the goal that meant they had lost the game and that was very hard for them to take. The steward was just doing his job but if things hadn't been thrown and people had stayed in their seats then that wouldn't have happened. [LNB]"Players should feel like they can celebrate a goal without the fear of being hit by things." [LNB]Two sides to every story:[LNB]"I'm not sure if the fans understand what happened during the end of my time at Arsenal but I have done nothing wrong. An offer came in for me and, as I understand it, Arsene and the club accepted the offer the same day. It was not my fault I left, it was Arsene who wanted to accept the offer for me. [LNB]"I wasn't making any comments in the Press about wanting to leave or being unhappy, it was the club who wanted to sell me yet I am being abused by the fans who once cheered me. It makes no sense. Arsenal fans just don't have the full picture. [LNB]"I have said many times I enjoyed my time at the club and I scored a lot of goals. If they were unhappy with me leaving they need to take it up with their manager and their board because I had nothing to do with the sale. [LNB]"Arsene has said many things in the Press but I only take notice of those who matter to me. I read his comments but, as the tattoo on my arm says, 'Only God can judge me' not Arsene Wenger." [LNB]Arsenal v Manchester City - the return leg:[LNB]"People have asked me if they think I might be rested for the return match but I hope there is no chance. I am not the sort of man to shy away from things, I am not scared or intimidated by such things. [LNB]"I hope by the time the Emirates match comes round we are still very much fighting for the title at City and we are even leading the Premier League." [LNB] 

Source: Telegraph