Sports minister 'optimistic' Adebayor will play

Togo's sports minister El Hadj Fofana told The Associated Press on Tuesday he was "optimistic" that the Tottenham striker would be in South Africa later this month for the continental championship.

The minister also confirmed Adebayor was currently in Ghana, where the Togolese squad was in a training camp, after the meeting with Togo president Faure Gnassingbe.

Adebayor had talks with Gnassingbe in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, on Monday, Fofana said, after the Togolese leader traveled there for the inauguration of new Ghana president John Dramani Mahama.

Adebayor's decision to stay with the team showed his "good will," Fofana said. The forward had refused to play at the African Cup over security concerns and disagreements with the Togo football federation over bonus payments for players.

"I do not think that he will continue dragging his feet," Fofana told the AP in Togo. "As far as I am concerned, his presence in Accra where the national football team is based for its preparation shows that he has come back."

Adebayor's situation will be clarified on Wednesday, when teams have to announce their 23-man squads for the African Cup later this month. Togo coach Didier Six said Adebayor would remain in Accra for the next few days, suggesting he would be in the Togo squad bound for South Africa, where the tournament starts in less than two weeks.