Adebayor tips and "supports" Nigeria for World Cup glory and NFF explain Anichebe's exclusion

The NFF have in an attempt to save their faces issued a flimsy statement in defence of Lars Lagerback's decision to omit Victor Anichebe from his final 23-man list that comprised mainly of foreign-based stars, and 2008 African Player of the year, Emmanuel Adebayor, has tipped the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Black Stars of Ghana as the potential flag bearers of Africa ahead of Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast, who according to many are set to stage an upset at the forthcoming 2010 World Cup to be staged in South Africa

The ex Arsenal striker, who left the North London outfit for the stupendously rich Eastlands Club (Manchester City),

Van Persie: "I don't care about him"

"I've not spoken to him," said the dutchman, who was booked for a lunge on ex team mate Emmanuel Adebayor, on Saturday at the Emirates during their Barclays Premier League encounter.

Ade returned to the Emirates for the first time since his controversial departure last summer. As expected, the Togolese menace was jeered at by a cross section of Arsenal spectators who have deliberately refused to let bygones be bygones.
The Togo international was fined and banned by the FA, for his antics last year in the reverse fixture which the Citizens won by 4-2.

Although the tackle by Van Persie on Adebayor seemed premeditated, the Gunner denied he was seeking revenge but instead referred to it as a routine tackle: "There was nothing in it," he declared.
"In football you make tackles that was one of them."

Van Persie is relishing the experience of playing again for Arsenal, after missing a large chunk of the season due to an injury: "I'm so pleased to be back. The plan was to play for 60 or 70 minutes but everything felt good so I played on," the 27-year-old concluded.

Ex-Gunner advises Adebayor

Arsenal's former defensive enforcer Kolo Toure has warned his City team mate Emmanuel Adebayor to refrain from his antics ahead of Manchester City's make/mar encounter with Arsenal.

Ade left the North London outfit for a mouth-watering fee of £25m last summer, although he denied vehemently that he left the London giants because of monetary issues, his actions against his former club speak otherwise.
The Togolese ex-International incurred the wrath of both the FA, and Arsenal faithfuls for racing down the length of the pitch to celebrate his goal in front of his former fans and well wishers. He was also handed a three match suspension by the FA for maliciously stamping on former team mate Robin Van Persie in the same match.

Toure, who deliberately turned his back on Wenger and the club that shot him to limelight at a time they needed his services most, sensationally told Sky Sports News that he has advised his team mate [Adebayor] to respect himself at the Emirates: "I had a word with him, Patrick had a word with him as well," he said.

"The most important thing for him is to play and to give everything for our club Man City.

"I told him just to calm down and focus on the game because that's the most important. If we start to be emotional that's when we can drop some points.
For us the most important thing is to win the game."

Toure, believes he will escape the attention of the Arsenal boo-boys at the Emirates because he had an outstanding relationship with them before leaving alongside Ade: "I have always had a great relationship with the [Arsenal] fans. Now I am in a new family and I think they are all fantastic," he enthused.

"I think it is going to be a great, great day for all of us because we are all looking forward to going back and playing against our old team."

Toure charged his team mates to take advantage of the Gunners precarious injury situation: "I think it's a great time to play against them, because they have a few injured players and maybe we can come back with some points," he concluded.