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Adebayor finally speaks on Tottenham departure ahead of the sides clash

Football

By Reuters | Feb 20, 2016

Crystal Palace striker Emmanuel Adebayor has fired a broadside at Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy ahead of a first return to White Hart Lane on Sunday since his acrimonious exit.

Adebayor made nearly 100 Premier League appearances in four-and-a-half years at Tottenham but his relationship with Levy deteriorated after twice being denied a move to West Ham United.

Adebayor and Spurs agreed to cancel his contract last September, preventing him from joining a new club until January, and the forward defended himself against a perception that he was still happy to get paid while not playing.

"Daniel Levy made everything complicated," the former Arsenal, Manchester City and Real Madrid striker told British media.

"But at the end of the day, I know where I am from and when you want something you have to stand strong for it."

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The Togo national said his commitment to charity in Africa helped motivate him to keep training hard in the months when he was without a team.

"In life, I have been through a lot," he added. "Maybe 15 years ago I was playing on a beach without shoes and I was living in a house without a roof.

"A lot of people will say, 'He took money from Tottenham and went on holiday chilling', but I can guarantee I was not chilling. I was working more than all the Premier League players that were playing.

"At the end of the day, I am so happy that a lot of my money is going back home and is going to charity. For me that is the most important thing."

Palace manager Alan Pardew says the goal Adebayor headed against Watford last Saturday will help him on his return to White Hart Lane for Sunday's FA Cup fifth round tie.

"He's a player that has character, strength and belief and he's a player that can change games," Pardew told a news conference.

"For whatever reason he didn't fit the way Tottenham wanted to go forward.

"The parting of the ways could maybe have been done better, I don't know, but what I know is that he's highly motivated for the game (on Sunday), and to do well for Crystal Palace and he has a first goal. That's going to help us and help him."