Togolese Skipper Adebayor Plays In Keshi Memorial Match
Former Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur of England striker, Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor was one of many top football stars who lined out for an exhibition match at the weekend in Lome, Togo to honour the tiny West African country’s former national team coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi.
The match in Lome was played between the current Togo national side and Team Keshi, made up of players who were part of his 2006 squad, with Adebayor leading the way for the legends.
Although the late coach is a Nigerian and died in the Edo State capital, Benin City, Adebayor and other Togolese stars recounted how ‘The Big Boss’ made history as a three time coach of the Togolese side.
Keshi, who died suddenly aged 54, was closely associated with Togo, who gave him his first coaching job and he pulled off a remarkable achievement to qualify them for the 2006 World Cup ahead of Senegal and Zambia.
Though ‘The Big Boss’ was sacked by Togo just a few months before the tournament and was not part of the delegation to Germany, he returned for two more spells – in 2007 and 2001.
Such is the memory Adebayor has of Keshi, that spurred him to turn up for the match on Sunday, for which more than 20,000 fans were in attendance at Ominsports stadium in Lome to watch the game, which the current Togo national side won 6-2.
“Keshi was like a big brother for me,” said Adebayor. “He was somebody that I respected a lot and I have to give him a lot of credit because when he joined the Togolese national team he believed in me.
“He was for the first time looking into my eyes and told me how good I was and how good I could become. I just listened to his advice because he was a former footballer. “Listening to his advice helped me a lot and I am where I am because of that of that. May his soul rest in a perfect peace and let’s us keep on remembering him in our prayers.”
Adebayor also told the crowd: “I would like to pay tribute to him and I hope that the family he left behind will find the needed faith and strength to overcome this period.”
On his part, Abalo Dosseh, deputy coach and former captain of Togo, told BBC Sport: “It is an honour for me to stand on this pitch in remembrance of Big Boss. He has done a lot for Togolese football and the entire continent.
“I always remember the day I asked to captain the team for the first time and we were also lucky to make the same year to the World Cup. All the former players and others who are still playing have come to pay tribute to him.”
Similarly, Nigerian-born Togo ex-international, Olufade Adekambi, who played alongside Keshi in Nigeria, added: “We thank God that he did many good things for Togo. We are mourning him because he was like a big brother, a coach and a big man.”
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