Emmanuel Adebayor Meets Togolese President Amid National Team Coaching Crisis
Emmanuel Adebayor, captain of the Togolese national football team, has met with Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé during his vacation in Lomé, according to local sources. The meeting comes amid growing concern over the prolonged absence of a head coach for the national team, which has been without one since January.
Details of the discussion between Adebayor and the President remain private, but it is widely speculated that the future direction of the national team, particularly the appointment of a new coach, was a key topic. The situation has left players frustrated and worried about the national side’s preparations for upcoming competitions.
The Togolese Hawks have been without a permanent coach since Didier Six’s contract expired nearly six months ago. This coaching vacuum has raised questions over the team’s readiness and cohesion. Serge Akakpo, the team’s vice-captain, recently expressed his concern, saying, “It’s a shame we don’t have a coach with whom we can discuss the prospects of the national team.”
Similarly, goalkeeper Kossi Agassa, a pivotal figure in the squad and Stade de Reims player in France’s Ligue 1, lamented the situation. “Almost all national teams played friendly matches at the end of the season. Since our return from the 2013 African Cup of Nations, we have fallen into trouble and the squad has never been at full strength again,” he said.
The absence of leadership on the sidelines is compounded by internal strife within Togolese football administration. Reports suggest a bitter rivalry between the president of the Togolese Football Federation and the Minister of Sports, both vying to have their preferred candidate appointed as head coach. Allegations of manipulation and irregularities have marred the process of selecting a new coach, with accusations that results from the official call for applications were falsified. Due to these controversies, the Prime Minister intervened, ordering a restart of the selection procedure.
A crucial meeting to finalize the coach’s appointment, scheduled for June 17 at the Prime Minister’s office, was postponed at the last minute. Some observers speculate that the postponement may be linked to discussions between President Gnassingbé and Adebayor, highlighting the political sensitivity of the issue.
Togo now faces a challenging qualification campaign for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) in Morocco. The Hawks find themselves in a tough group alongside strong teams such as Ghana and Guinea. Without a stable coaching structure and ongoing administrative turmoil, the team’s chances of replicating their historic 2013 quarter-final run look uncertain.
As one of Togo’s most prominent footballers, Adebayor’s involvement at the highest political level underscores the seriousness of the crisis within Togolese football. The coming weeks will be crucial as the nation seeks to restore stability and hope to its national team ahead of critical fixtures.
