English clubs concerned for players in wake of attack
LONDON: Premier League clubs have expressed concern for the safety of their African footballers after gunmen killed a driver and injured nine when opening fire on the Togo team bus as it travelled to the African Cup of Nations in Angola.
Manchester City’s Emmanuel Adebayor and Moustapha Salifou of Aston Villa were among the players left scurrying for safety as their team bus came under attack on Friday.
It was later confirmed a driver of a team convoy bus was killed, and nine of the delegation were injured.
As the African Football Confederation warded off calls for the tournament to be scrapped, City and Villa, among others in the English Premier League, expressed concern for the safety of their players.
Togo captain Adebayor was unharmed in the attack however City have discussed the incident with officials from the Football Association.
A statement on the club’s website read: “Manchester City can confirm that striker Emmanuel Adebayor is uninjured after this afternoon’s attack on the Togo team bus in Angola.
“Club officials have spoken with Adebayor and, though shaken by the terrible events, he is unharmed. The club would like to send its condolences to the family of the driver and sends best wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured.
“We are currently in talks with the Football Association over what may happen next.”
Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill told the club’s official website, www.avfc.co.uk: “I am really shocked to hear about this. Obviously I am pleased and relieved to hear that Moustapha is okay and that he is not among the injured people.
“The club have been in contact with him and he has reassured us that he is okay but he is extremely shocked and upset, which he would be in these circumstances.”
Portsmouth, who have several stars at the event, have also contacted the FA asking them to demand assurances from FIFA that the players’ safety will be guaranteed, and calling for them to be sent home if it cannot.
A spokesman for Portsmouth said: “We will be asking the FA to talk to FIFA to ensure the players’ safety. That is paramount, and if the players’ safety can’t be ensured, then the players should be sent home.”
Two players, goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale and defender Serge Akakpo were among the wounded, squad member Thomas Dossevi, who plays for French second division side Nantes, told AFP.
Dossevi said they had been “fired on like dogs”.
“One of them (Akakpo) took a bullet in the back and the other (Obilale) was hit in the kidneys,” Dossevi said. “The assailants were hooded and armed to the teeth. We stayed under the seats for 20 minutes. It was horrible.”
Organisers of the tournament were to meet in Luanda after the shooting, however already there have been calls for the tournament to be scrapped.
“If it is possible, there should be a boycott of the tournament. Why not cancel all the matches. We just want to go back home,” Togo player Alaixys Romao, who plays for the French top flight side Grenoble, told French channel Infosport.
Henri Stambouli, who coached the Togo side in 2008, told Infosport he also believed the event should be called off. “Noting the seriousness of the situation I believe it should not go ahead,” said the Frenchman. — AFP