Togo Football Federation (FTF) president Gabriel Ameyi (photo) announced today he would be travelling to London to visit Togo former captain Emmanuel Adebayor in view of concluding talks over his return to the Sparrow Hawks to help the team prepare for the qualifiers of the 2013 African Cup of Nations and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The Togo football body and the Tottenham striker have been engaged in months-long dialogue over his possible return to the national team, nearly two years after he bowed out of international football in the wake of the Togo team bus attack prior to the 2010 African Cup of Nations held in Angola.
“Emmanuel Adebayor is still missing in our national team and we’ll do everything to get him back,” Ameyi said. “We need him to help build a new squad for the benefit of Togo football and the entire population.
“This is why I’m going to London few days from now to personally meet him and conclude modalities for his return. The national team needs him as he too needs the team,” he added.
In April, the former Manchester City forward gave the FTF his conditions to return to the set up, which were essentially based on security.
“I’ve given them my conditions. I’m getting older by the day, if it’s all about returning to the team and still be travelling under terrible circumstances to play matches, they should count me out,” the 27-year-old Togo’s all time best scorer had said.
“I’ve told them that when they send a player a call up, they should also send an air ticket so all the team members can travel in good conditions. If that could be ameliorated, then I’m in.”