Adebayor was on the bench at Monaco for disciplinary reasons.
French reporters were amazed when he joined Arsenal on January 13, 2006.
In 2007-2008 he scored 30 goals in a vibrant side that made 150 chances for him.
He was a one-season wonder and Wenger knew that better than any of us. He scored 19 league goals but six were against Derby County, statistically the worst team in Premier League history.
Then Adebarndoor got a new contract on £80,000 a week and behaved as if he had won the lottery. He said : I don’t care if I don’t score another goal this season as long as Arsenal win something. And later, when he was linked with AC Milan again, he admitted, yes, I talk to Galliani on the phone.
In February, the flaky giant told Arsenal TV :
“I know having scored 30 goals in a season that people will always be waiting for more this season but the most important thing is to keep on going and to progress. I have 12 already but to score another 18 now would not be easy. But I don’t care if I stop on 12 goals if we win something with the club.
“To win trophies is more important than scoring goals but if we are to win trophies we will need to score some goals. This club needs trophies and that’s what we are fighting for.”
He actually claimed he was happy with his form: “I am getting assists now too and getting closer to being a complete footballer. I can score with my left, score with my right and score with my head too, which is good for a striker.
In March there was another communique from Planet Adebarndoor.
He said, “I knew that Milan and Barcelona were interested in me but in the end I chose Arsenal. Arsenal are a club that I want to repay with important victories for having allowed me to become one of the great players in world football. “
So there you have it. He’s a complete footballer who scored two hat-tricks against Derby, a relegated team, he’s one of the great players in world football, and he talks to Galliani on his mobile.
The next six weeks will be crucial.
If Wenger and Gazidis can sell Adebayor and bring in a fast, sharp striker and combative midfielder, then next season might not be more of the same. Thousands of fans fear more of the same
Everything else is irrelevant right now. Adebayor is the main issue among Gooners. He is the fundamental issue. And the present impasse is an ongoing farce that should never have been allowed to evolve. In Wenger’s portfolio of footballers, when he looks at Adebayor, he’s looking at negative equity.
As you know, many clubs to do a lot of commendable fund-raising work for charities.
The Teenage Cancer Trust had a dinner at Chelsea a couple of years ago. The format is you have big tables and a meal, and two players from the first team squad join your table for dessert, coffee and a chat. Towards the end of the evening they have an auction where fans bid to be in next season’s team photo. The lucky winner puts on a shirt and the club photographer takes an extra shot of the fan with his heroes. This usually goes for about £4,000 or £5,000, I gather. At the Chelsea dinner, John Terrry, Lampard and Joey Cole each gave £80,000 to the Teenage Cancer Charity.
That charity recently had a dinner at the Emirates, same format. Eboue and Adebayor joined one table for dessert, coffee and a chat and were suitably charming. But Adebayor was sitting next to an aggressive hedge fund guy who’d had a few drinks. The auction started for the team photo and the bids were going up and up and up again and everything was jolly and hunky-dory.
Then the hedge fund guy turned to Adebayor and said, “You should bid for that!”
He thought Adebarndoor would be sold and should be sold. So he thought Ade’s best chance of being in next season’s team photo was to bid in that auction and buy a place in the photo.
A very rude remark but a funny one.
THIS MORNING I’m told that most Barcelona fans expect to sign David Villa but not Fabregas.