PREMIER LEAGUE:EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR has escaped a ban for his incendiary goal celebration in Manchester City's 4-2 defeat of Arsenal after the English FA accepted he had been responding to "extremely provocative" chants from supporters of his former club.
Adebayor, who has just completed a three-match suspension for stamping on Robin van Persie in the same match, was fined €27,000 and given a two-match ban suspended for a year after admitting a charge of improper conduct at an FA disciplinary commission hearing in London.
“In reaching its decision the commission took into account his admission of the charge, public apology and the extremely provocative nature of the abuse he received,” the FA said. “However, the commission also stated that players have a responsibility to conduct themselves in a proper manner and that such celebrations are unacceptable and have the potential to cause a serious public order incident.”
Adebayor can now return to the City side at Aston Villa on Monday.
“There has been a lot said and written about Emmanuel’s goal celebration. We are just glad to put it all behind us now,” City manager Mark Hughes said. “Manu was in great form and having him available again is a huge boost.”
Meanwhile, Portsmouth’s owner, Sulaiman al-Fahim, will this weekend make a desperate attempt to attract fresh finance to the club after the chief executive, Peter Storrie, admitted “there is no money left”.
The move comes after another turbulent day at Portsmouth on which they were forced to admit their first-team squad and executive board, including Storrie, had not been paid September’s wages.
The club rely on Fahim to pay those salaries but the owner has not yet delivered the €55 million which he last week promised to provide within a month.
At the weekend Fahim will meet representatives of two Saudi-based businessmen, the Faraj brothers, who were the leading members of the consortium fronted by Storrie which tried to buy the club this summer.
“All the money from all the player transfers and the Sky TV money - all of the €38 million from January – has gone straight to the Standard Bank,” Storrie said yesterday, referring to Portsmouth’s need to pay off a sizeable debt with the South African bank. “There is no money left.”
“Whatever we spend on a monthly basis comes channelled through from [Fahim]. He has promised to refinance and he has shown me all the documentation but I have no idea about the conditions of the £50 million he says will be arriving in a few weeks. We need to refinance, it is as simple as that. As for the players wages for the last month I would imagine it’s a blip and they will be paid.”
Fahim’s proposed meeting with the Faraj brothers, which is understood to be scheduled for Sunday, appears to strengthen Storrie’s position given he fronted a consortium led by them which came close to taking over Portsmouth in late August before then owner Alexandre Gaydamak sold to Fahim.
Last night Fahim confirmed he was open to new investors and said he felt “sorry” for the club: “I was always open for any investors if they will add value. No matter who they are.” But he hinted the Farajs may have only a short-term interest. “I need people who want to stay with me and the club for the long term.”
Storrie said he was working tirelessly to keep the club afloat. “We have been very close to administration a few times in the last nine to 10 months but I am not about to give up now,” he said.
Fahim said the players and three fellow board members - Storrie, Roberto Avondo and finance director, Tanya Robins would get their money today. “The club needs time to be on track,” he added. “And this is the worst [period].
