January 8 – English Premier League clubs have demanded assurances from FIFA about the safety of their players in Angola, including Nigeria’s Nwankwo Kanu (pictured), following the attack today by gunmen on a bus carrying the Togo squad into Angola to finalise their preparations for the tournament.
The bus driver was killed and three players were among nine people injured in an attack in Cabinda by rebel separatists that has shocked the world.
Among the players on the bus were Manchester City’s £25 million striker Emmanuel Adebayor and Aston Villa midfielder Moustapha Salifou.
Both escaped injury.
Gary Double, the director of communications at Portsmouth, who Kanu plays for, said: ”We will be asking the FA to talk to FIFA to ensure the players’ safety.
“That is paramount and if the players’ safety cannot be ensured, then the players should be sent home.”
Kanu is one of four players Portsmouth have lost to the event.
The others are Ivory Coast international Aruna Dindane and Algerian duo Nadir Belhadj and Hassan Yebda.
Among the other Premiership players currently in Angola are Chelsea’s Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou, who both play for the Ivory Coast, as well as Ghana midfielder Michael Essien and Nigeria’s John Obi-Mikel.
Arsenal have Ivory Coast defender Emmanuel Eboue and Cameroon midfielder Alex Song in Angola.
The FA said it would do all it could to ensure the clubs were made aware of the situation at the tournament, which is due to open in Angola’s capital Luanda on Sunday.
They said in a statement: ”Following the terrible attack on the Togo national team in Angola, the Football Association is in contact with various English clubs who have players involved in the African Cup of Nations.
“We will continue to ensure we are kept up to speed with all developments and do all we can to assist our clubs and those players involved.
“The FA is currently contacting various organisations, including FIFA.”
Manchester City were among the English clubs naturally worried about their players’ safety.
“We are currently in talks with the Football Association over what may happen next,” City said on their website.
Adebayor (pictured) said the Togo players would decide tomorrow whether to remain in Angola to participate in the tournament.
They are due to open their campaign against Ghana on Monday.
Adebayor said: ”I think a lot of players want to leave, I don’t think they want to be at this tournament any more because they have seen their death already.
“Most of the players want to go back to their family.
“No-one can sleep after what they have seen.
“They have seen one of their team-mates have a bullet in his body, who is crying, who is losing consciousness and everything.
“So we will have a good meeting, everyone will go to their room, they will rest and we will see.
“[On Saturday morning] we will make a decision which is good for our life.
“We are still in shock. If the security is not sure then we will be leaving.
“I don’t think they will be ready to give their life.
“We will discuss everything as a team and we will take a decision that we think is good for our career, is good for our life and good for our family.
“That is paramount, and if the players’ safety can’t be ensured, then the players should be sent home.”
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January 2010: Deaths as Togo team bus machine-gunned in Angola