Football News : Adebayor: Mourinho wanted me at Madrid

By ESPNsoccernet staff

Emmanuel Adebayor says he would now be a Real Madrid player if Jose Mourinho had total control over transfers, but he insists he is happy to be plying his trade at Tottenham.

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Emmanuel Adebayor made clear his desire to  return to Real Madrid during the summer

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Adebayor, frozen out of the first-team picture at Manchester City, spent time on loan at Madrid earlier this year and Mourinho suggested during the summer that a permanent deal was in the offing.

In the end, no move came to fruition and Adebayor agreed to a season-long loan move to White Hart Lane.

"I get on very well Mourinho but Madrid is one of the biggest clubs in the world," he said. "Politically it is always difficult. There is not just one man deciding.

"If it was just Mourinho, for sure I would be in Madrid now. I am happy with what I did last season and he can ask [to sign me], but he cannot make the decision.

"We have been in contact throughout all the holidays and he gave me the go ahead to go to Tottenham and I am very happy to be here today."

He added: "He told me, 'You have to think of your career and if you have a chance to go to Spurs go out there, score goals and enjoy you rself again on the football pitch'.

"He is a good manager and I have always had respect for that man. Even when I came to Tottenham, when I was sleeping, I got a message from him. It is always nice to have a message from Jose Mourinho.

"He is a nice person and wish him the best of luck in Madrid this season. Hopefully he will achieve his target, which is to win the Champions League and the league."

Although Adebayor is disappointed not to have linked up with Mourinho again, he feels Harry Redknapp adopts a similar approach to man-management.

"I would say Harry [is similar] to Mourinho because of the way he treats players and gives you confidence," he said. "When I went to Madrid that is what I got.

"That sensation when Mourinho said, 'Adebayor we know you are creative, we know what you can do on the football pitch' and he said, 'Go out there and enjoy yourself - I cannot tell go left or go round because you know what to do on the football pitch ' - I had the same discussion with Harry and he told me the same thing. For me as a footballer, that is what I need."

Adebayor, due to his time at Arsenal, has been abused by Spurs fans in the past - notably when he helped Madrid progress in last season's Champions League quarter-final - but he is happy to move on.

"For me, it is forgiven," he said. "You know, if I didn't forgive anybody - trust me - I would not be wearing the Tottenham shirt today. When I am not happy, I can't just keep it inside and I will just say it.

"For me, signing for the club and what happened in the Champions League quarter-finals is over. Tottenham reached that stage and once again it is Adebayor taking them out, so it is normal that they are not happy.

"At the end of the day, it is football. The fans are passionate about it and sometimes it is difficult for a player to take, but we just have to. We all have mistakes one day and we all have to learn from it.

"I am a fo otballer, that is my job, and to be honest you feel like you have been a little bit abused, but at the end of the day we know how it is, how fans react sometimes and I take it in a positive way.

"When I was at Madrid I said last season that I would come to Tottenham, forgetting about what they have been singing. They were upset because I was scoring goals but now I play for them.

"We have to love each other, walk in the same direction and that is what I am here for now."

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