Adebayor will not forget how far he has travelled

EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR intends to make the most of the chance he has been given to make a difference.

The 21-year-old Arsenal front man is aware that the opportunities at a top European club are a million kilometres away from those on offer back in his home country of Togo and elsewhere in Africa.

Adebayor joined the Gunners from Monaco last January and has slowly grown in stature and confidence.

After shaking off a thigh problem picked up last month, the beanpole striker is pressing for a recall against Premiership leaders Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium tomorrow.

Taking part in such showpiece events may be fulfilling a boyhood dream, but Adebayor knows they pale into insignificance compared with the continuing struggles faced during everyday life in his homeland.

“Not long ago I was in Africa and I had nothing — now I am playing for Arsenal. It has happened very quickly and I am so thankful for it,” he said.

“Every footballer when they wake up in the morning has to thank God and thank football — because without football we would not be here.”

Adebayor recalled: “When you see these children it makes you realise a lot. There are some babies there who are very ill and I will never forget what I saw there in my life. I am lucky and I have the chance to be a footballer.”

After taking time to settle this season, particular in home games, Adebayor was enjoying a good spell of form before his injury.

The Togo striker had led the line impressively in the absence of sidelined skipper Thierry Henry, scoring in three successive matches before St Stephen’s Day. Adebayor also scored the only goal of the match to beat United at Old Trafford back in September — and would relish another chance to “run” their defence ragged this weekend.

He said: “Yes, I like to run and run — that is how I play football. It is difficult to play against a striker who is always moving.

“I might not be the player who will get three goals in a game, but I will work hard, run everywhere and jump for every ball. Whether I play 10 minutes or 90 minutes, I give everything. Then when I get tired, I tell the boss because I think it is better for the team that you do not play if you are not at your best.

“When I was younger I wanted to play just to play, but I have learnt you need to be a winner.”

Wenger is in no doubt of the potential of the African.

He said: “I brought Adebayor because I felt he had the qualities to cope with the English game — physically and technically strong, good in the air. He has the ingredients we (otherwise) do not have. What I like as well is that he does not give up. He scored at Manchester United with five minutes to go; he scored at Wigan with five minutes to go. That quality is really important if you are going to be a top-level team.”

Wenger also felt he had to allow veteran full-back Lauren to leave in order to continue the development of youngsters Emmanuel Eboue and Justin Hoyte. The Cameroon international, who turned 30 yesterday, ended his six-and-a-half-year stay with the Gunners to join Portsmouth earlier this week.

During the right-back’s long recent injury lay-off, the likes of Eboue, 23, and Hoyte, 22, have been handed a regular taste of first-team action.

While accepting his decision was something of a “paradox” given he often suggested the current squad lacked some experience, Wenger felt it served to protect the future of the club.

The Arsenal manager said: “I lost a fantastic player. I would like to pay tribute to him because he was amazing for the club.

“Lauren was not only a player with quality and experience, but also a fantastic guy who was mentally very strong. But he was out for nine months. Eboue and Hoyte played.

“Do I stop their development and play Lauren? Or do I let him go somewhere else? I had to make that kind of decision.”

Wenger maintained his emerging squad had the “ingredients and potential” to consistently challenge for top honours.

“We have the ingredients and potential to become the best team.

“At the moment we are not because we lost at places like Sheffield United, Bolton and Manchester City — even though they are games we could and should have won. But we are getting there.”