All eyes on Adebayor as exile makes return to Kane domain
EMMANUEL Adebayor’s fall from grace helped clear the way for Harry Kane to become one of the Premier League’s most effective strikers, according to Tottenham goalkeeper Michel Vorm.
The two frontmen will be on opposite sides today when Tottenham host Crystal Palace in the FA Cup fifth round.
Adebayor is attempting to resurrect his career at Palace after joining in January, having been largely unused at Tottenham in the past two seasons.
While that situation was wrapped in drama and clashes with Tottenham’s hierarchy, culminating in Adebayor being frozen out of the first-team landscape, Kane has emerged in the same period with a quite brilliant impact.
He has scored 50 goals in all competitions in the past season and a half and developed into an England international. When asked if Adebayor’s complex situation at Spurs helped Kane flourish, Vorm said: ‘Yes, of course. That is football. Harry took his chances really.
‘It started in the Europa league last season with him scoring almost every game. It is unbelievable how he developed as a player and became so important for us.’
The prospect of Tottenham facing Adebayor, who scored his first Palace goal against Watford last Saturday, is a fascinating subplot of a game that will determine if Mauricio Pochettino’s side can maintain their three-pronged trophy challenge.
Adebayor, at 31, is plainly still capable of deciding games, with Palace manager Alan Pardew convinced he is close to full match sharpness. Vorm, like many of the Spurs squad as well as Pochettino himself, still speaks fondly of the striker.
The Dutch goalkeeper added: ‘Adebayor has a lot of experience and is very strong. In the air he is unbelievable. I know him well and we had a good relationship. I will be pleased to see him – it won’t be easy that is for sure.’
Tottenham remarkably paid Adebayor’s £100,000per-week wages during his five-month exile, though that has been reduced to £30,000 since he signed for Palace.
Adebayor blamed Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy for his ‘complicated’ exit from White Hart Lane as he left
by mutual consent in September.
Pardew believes it is just part of the modern game. ‘Players in the modern world the way they are with Twitter and message boards,’ he said. ‘They just have to be careful that they don’t cross the line at the club that they are at.’
Adebayor’s promise to celebrate if he scores should not surprise Spurs, given his history.
In 2009 the thenManchester City striker infamously ran the length of the Etihad Stadium pitch to slide in front of and goad Arsenal’s supporters.
For his part, Vorm is hoping this game will lead to further opportunities.
He was elevated into the side that drew with Fiorentina in the Europa League on Thursday after Hugo Lloris injured his shoulder against Manchester City last Sunday.
He performed well in only his sixth game of the season and will also start today, but faces demotion once Lloris, the team captain, is fit again.