togo players attacked

[carl_feedthegoat]

Fucking hell! This is fucking crazy.

Wasn't there a story that Oba Martins was shot at when he returned to Nigeria a few years back too?

I'm not very will up on African criminology, but can anyone really say that the World Cup will go ahead with no incidents which will endanger the lives of fans and/ or players?

Not a chance in hell im going to go watch the world cup in africa, thats for sure!

STOP BEING IGNORANT ..THIS DIDNT HAPPEN IN FUCKING SOUTH AFRICA FFS !!!

Carl, I know you're something of a voyager. Have you ever lived in South Africa for a period of time? Would you feel safe as a player or fan around the chosen venues?

I know we usually take the piss and have a laugh but I'm genuinely interested.

Cheers.

9 YEARS I LIVED THERE.

JOHBURG IS DANGEROUS IN SOME PLACES BUT CANNOT BE COMPARED TO A MELTING POT LIKE ANGOLA.........CRIME EXISTS EVERYWHERE AND SOUTH AFRICA IS NO DIFFERENT TO ANY OTHER PLACE.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
WOULD I GO AS A TOURST - YES
WOULD I FEEL SAFE - YES

POLICE WILL BE EVERYWHERE AND IN GENERAL THE LOCALS LOVE THEIR FOOTBALL AND WILL WANT THE TOURISTS TO ENJOY IT AS WELL.

THE WORST I CAN SEE HAPPENING OVER THERE IN THE WC IS MUGGINGS,THEFT ECT TO ANY TOURST THAT WANDERS INTO CRIME SPOTS.....THEY CAN BE AVOIDED THOUGH.

[Kladze]

Fucking hell! This is fucking crazy.

Wasn't there a story that Oba Martins was shot at when he returned to Nigeria a few years back too?

I'm not very will up on African criminology, but can anyone really say that the World Cup will go ahead with no incidents which will endanger the lives of fans and/ or players?

Not a chance in hell im going to go watch the world cup in africa, thats for sure!

STOP BEING IGNORANT ..THIS DIDNT HAPPEN IN FUCKING SOUTH AFRICA FFS !!!

Carl, I know you're something of a voyager. Have you ever lived in South Africa for a period of time? Would you feel safe as a player or fan around the chosen venues?

I know we usually take the piss and have a laugh but I'm genuinely interested.

Cheers.

9 YEARS I LIVED THERE.

JOHBURG IS DANGEROUS IN SOME PLACES BUT CANNOT BE COMPARED TO A MELTING POT LIKE ANGOLA.........CRIME EXISTS EVERYWHERE AND SOUTH AFRICA IS NO DIFFERENT TO ANY OTHER PLACE.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
WOULD I GO AS A TOURST - YES
WOULD I FEEL SAFE - YES

POLICE WILL BE EVERYWHERE AND IN GENERAL THE LOCALS LOVE THEIR FOOTBALL AND WILL WANT THE TOURISTS TO ENJOY IT AS WELL.

THE WORST I CAN SEE HAPPENING OVER THERE IN THE WC IS MUGGINGS,THEFT ECT TO ANY TOURST THAT WANDERS INTO CRIME SPOTS.....THEY CAN BE AVOIDED THOUGH.

I know the political situation there is much more stable but terrorist groups wanting to make a name for themselves aren't going to be shy of crossing borders are they?

Having said that, I know the same could be said about Europe etc so .......

[irblinx]

Really bad news i hope there all ok. A quick question though do city have the right to call Ade back if they want?

Honestly couldn't care less at this point, hope he is ok but there is no way he'll be in the correct mental state to play football and we shouldn't try and make him at the moment.

I would imagine that Togo will withdraw but if Ade wanted to spend time with his loved ones instead of heading straight back here I'd definitely understand

Absolutlely spot on.

To be fair to Mark as you've quoted me I should say that he did point out that he just wanted him safe too rather than back playing for us

[Mark (Blue Army)]

Really bad news i hope there all ok. A quick question though do city have the right to call Ade back if they want?

Honestly couldn't care less at this point, hope he is ok but there is no way he'll be in the correct mental state to play football and we shouldn't try and make him at the moment.

I would imagine that Togo will withdraw but if Ade wanted to spend time with his loved ones instead of heading straight back here I'd definitely understand

Absolutlely spot on.

To be fair to Mark as you've quoted me I should say that he did point out that he just wanted him safe too rather than back playing for us

Cheers mate was just about to respond back to him but you saved me the trouble lol

[gillie]

Driver dead, 4 others injured. Sounds like the original TalkSport report might be right, 2 players & 2 coaching staff. Makes sense thinking about who'd be sat at the front

Wonder why they were in such a dangerous area where they could be ambushed like that.

Ted i read today that most of Togo's group games are in the Cabinda region of Angola and it is a stronghold of the millitants.

[Ted Hughes]

FFS folks, South Africa's not Angola, there are thousands of English people & the England cricket team over ther pissing it up in the sunshine right now. Get some perspective. They have a crime problem much worse than ours if you go to the wrong places sure, so does the US, but you've got just as much chance being gunned down/blown up by a terrorist over here.

[carl_feedthegoat]

FFS folks, South Africa's not Angola, there are thousands of English people & the England cricket team over ther pissing it up in the sunshine right now. Get some perspective. They have a crime problem much worse than ours if you go to the wrong places sure, so does the US, but you've got just as much chance being gunned down/blown up by a terrorist over here.

THANKYOU.

[Ted Hughes]

Driver dead, 4 others injured. Sounds like the original TalkSport report might be right, 2 players & 2 coaching staff. Makes sense thinking about who'd be sat at the front

Wonder why they were in such a dangerous area where they could be ambushed like that.

Ted i read today that most of Togo's group games are in the Carabindo region of Angola and it is a stronghold of the millitants.

That sounds like a right stupid fucking idea.

[gillie]

Driver dead, 4 others injured. Sounds like the original TalkSport report might be right, 2 players & 2 coaching staff. Makes sense thinking about who'd be sat at the front

Wonder why they were in such a dangerous area where they could be ambushed like that.

Ted i read today that most of Togo's group games are in the Carabindo region of Angola and it is a stronghold of the millitants.

That sounds like a right stupid fucking idea.

And guess what Ted?.

[Ted Hughes]

Driver dead, 4 others injured. Sounds like the original TalkSport report might be right, 2 players & 2 coaching staff. Makes sense thinking about who'd be sat at the front

Wonder why they were in such a dangerous area where they could be ambushed like that.

Ted i read today that most of Togo's group games are in the Carabindo region of Angola and it is a stronghold of the millitants.

That sounds like a right stupid fucking idea.

And guess what Ted?.

Was it one of Platini's or Sepp's?

[gillie]

What i was getting at Ted is one of Togo's group games is against Cote D'Ivoire.So not only our 25milion pound striker in harms way but our captain as well.

[Ted Hughes]

What i was getting at Ted is one of Togo's group games is against Cote D'Ivoire.So not only our 25milion pound striker in harms way but our captain as well.

Oh fuck. Mind you I can't see it happening now anyway. What a dreadful tragic mess.

[Goataldo]

It will be absolutely ridiculous if they allow the tournament to go ahead now, something even more horrific might happen and then more people will die, the organisers will be pilloried etc.

But then there's a lot of money to be made if it goes ahead, I wonder whcih school of thought will win out...

[dick dastardley]

african nations cup is a bollox cup best bring ade home and get him playing his best footie for us!!!

[The Man In Blue]

BBC World Service reporting that the Togolese FA could be partially to blame; apparently the ACN organisers believed the Togo squad were flying into Cabinda, and had not been notified they were travelling by bus.

[feedthegreek]

terrible news, especially for the driver hes dead,
i hope they see sense and send everyone home.
but money and politics bad mix,
itll be like jaws its ok to go on the beach and into the sea.
i meamn how much money will they lose out on.
i can see plenty of pressure put on the teams to carry on.
its the way these idiots work.

[Blue Toy]

BBC World Service reporting that the Togolese FA could be partially to blame; apparently the ACN organisers believed the Togo squad were flying into Cabinda, and had not been notified they were travelling by bus.

That makes it all OK then! This surely isn't a time for blame.

[gillie]

terrible news, especially for the driver hes dead,
i hope they see sense and send everyone home.
but money and politics bad mix,
itll be like jaws its ok to go on the beach and into the sea.
i meamn how much money will they lose out on.
i can see plenty of pressure put on the teams to carry on.
its the way these idiots work.

It will be the old chestnut "We will not give in to terrorists".But in truth these guys are not terrorists they are freedom fighters and have been fighting for fuckin donkeys years.IMO it was a bad decision by FIFA to sanction this tournament in Angola.

[irblinx]

From SkySports

The Togo national team came under attack from gunfire in Angola when their bus was ambushed, with their driver killed and nine others thought to have been wounded.

The Sparrow Hawks are in the country ahead of the African Cup of Nations which gets under way on Sunday, with Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor and Aston Villa's Moustapha Salifou amongst the travelling party. Both escaped uninjured.

Those injured included two footballers from the West African nation, with Togolese football federation vice-president Gabriel Ameyi having said back-up goalkeeper Obilale Kossi and central defender Serge Akakpo were among those hurt.

Romanian side FC Vaslui confirmed their defender Akakpo, who joined the club from French side Auxerre last year, was shot and badly injured in the attack.

The club said, though, the 22-year-old was out of danger after being treated by doctors.

A statement on the club's website read: "Badly injured in an ambush in Angola, Serge Akakpo is now out of danger.

"Akakpo was struck by two bullets in the attack and has lost much blood. His condition was stabilised by doctors.

"FC Vaslui have been in touch with relatives of the player, who confirmed he has undergone surgery, which went very well."

Aston Villa have also confirmed that their 26-year-old midfielder Salifou was "shaken but okay" following the attack.

A statement posted on City's official website read: "Manchester City can confirm that striker Emmanuel Adebayor is uninjured after this afternoon's attack on the Togo team bus in Angola.

"Club officials have spoken with Adebayor and though shaken by the terrible events, he is unharmed."

Togo are scheduled to begin their cup campaign against Ghana on Monday, but their participation in the tournament now looks in serious doubt.

Togo and Nantes striker Thomas Dossevi told French radio station RMC: "I'm okay but several players are in a bad state.

"We are still at hospital. We were machine-gunned like dogs and had to remain hidden under our seats for around 20 minutes to avoid the bullets."

Midfielder Alaixys Romao admits the players feared the worst and thinks Togo are now likely to pull out of the tournament.

"We're not thinking yet of what could happen," said Romao, who plays his club football for Grenoble.

"But it's true that no-one wants to play. We're not capable of it.

"We're thinking first of all about the health of our injured because there was a lot of blood on the ground.

"For the moment there is not much news because they have been taken to different hospitals.

"In cases like these we're thinking of those near us, of those we love because that really could have been the end of us."

Midfielder Richmond Forson believes the number of injuries could have been much worse had the gunmen not originally fired on the wrong bus.

"It was the bus carrying our baggage which was in front of us which they fired on the most," he told Canal Plus. "They thought we were in the bus in front.

"Fortunately for us. That's what saved us. Then they fired on our driver and those who were in front. The windscreen was shattered by the first bullets.

"It's disgusting to take bullets for a football match."

Dossevi later gave more details about the attack. He added: "We had just crossed the border five minutes before, we were surrounded by police buses, one in front of us another behind.

"Everything was fine and then there was a powerful burst of gunfire.

"Everyone threw themselves under the seats and tried to protect themselves but some couldn't escape the bullets.

"It lasted a good 15 minutes, the police fired back but really, it was hard to handle and it still is now. I'm shocked.

"When we got off the bus we were asking ourselves why us and not others? We were asking ourselves what had happened, we were crying and thanking God."

[Ted Hughes]

terrible news, especially for the driver hes dead,
i hope they see sense and send everyone home.
but money and politics bad mix,
itll be like jaws its ok to go on the beach and into the sea.
i meamn how much money will they lose out on.
i can see plenty of pressure put on the teams to carry on.
its the way these idiots work.

It will be the old chestnut "We will not give in to terrorists".But in truth these guys are not terrorists they are freedom fighters and have been fighting for fuckin donkeys years.IMO it was a bad decision by FIFA to sanction this tournament in Angola.

As soon as you open fire on a coach full of footballers you're a terrorist mate, whatever status you had beforehand. Seems a ridiculous decision now; to have held the tournament there. If it does continue though, surely they'll move the games away from the hot-spots? It's just not fair to expect those guys to play anywhere though imo.