Emmanuel Adebayor has expressed his disappointment at being subjected to abusive chants but will not allow it to unsettle him.
Spurs striker disappointed but glad he maintained composure
Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor has expressed his disappointment at being subjected to abusive chants during the North London derby but will not allow the experience to unsettle him.
The former Gunners forward was the subject of chants from sections of the travelling fans during Sunday's match at White Hart Lane mocking the deadly gun attack on the Togo team bus which Adebayor survived in January 2010.
Tottenham and Arsenal have denounced the offensive chanting which also saw Arsene Wenger taunted during the game at White Hart Lane.
Adebayor admits he expected some hostility from fans but refuses to let the chanting upset him.
He told
The Sun: "The songs that they sung about me were very bad, but was I surprised? No. Disappointed? Yes.
"Obviously it was all meant to hurt me, to upset me, to anger me.
"It is sad that parents let their children hear or sing such things. As a child you are influenced by your parents' actions.
"You see them doing it and you think it is the correct way to behave. It's very sad how the memory of something so awful could be used in such an awful way.
"To be honest I wasn't surprised by it, I had been expecting something. And it didn't affect me at all. I have learnt a lot in the last few years and the best response is a positive performance."
Dignity
Adebayor is glad he maintained his composure to play a part in Tottenham's 2-1 victory, which was secured thanks to goals from Rafael van der Vaart and Kyle Walker.
"I just blocked it all out and concentrated on playing my best. I just hope that people remember this game for the right reasons and how well we played as it was being shown all around the world," said the 27-year-old.
"It'd be a great shame if they just remember the stupid songs and not the great football. I'm so glad I kept my dignity in the face of people behaving like that."
Adebayor added: "But those chants won't ever have an effect on me. I've been through too many difficult times to let a minority of people singing silly songs affect my performance.
"But if I can survive the bullets in Angola then a few mindless insults will have little impact."
