Adebayor criticizes Togo coach Six

NELSPRUIT, South Africa (AP)

AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS

• Mali completes upset win vs. Ghana
• Tunisian referee suspended
• Burkina Faso stuns Ghana
• Nigeria punches ticket to final
• Keita offers to pay teammate's bonuses
• Scores | Schedules | Standings

Emmanuel Adebayor's already uneasy relationship with Togo coach Didier Six turned sour publicly on Monday after the striker said Six was ''not an advantage'' to the team at the African Cup of Nations.

Following Togo's elimination at the hands of Burkina Faso in the quarterfinals on Sunday, Adebayor told French radio RFI that Six ''didn't help us at all.''

''I'm disappointed, disgusted, crushed,'' said Adebayor, the Togo captain. ''We came here with the idea of winning this tournament, of getting to the final, but unfortunately we've been eliminated by Burkina Faso. Our disappointment is limitless.

''The coach was not an advantage. I was on the pitch so I couldn't do both (coach and play). I tried my best, but it's true that he (Six) didn't help us at all.''

Six appeared unhappy in his role in charge of Togo in South Africa, leaving a group-stage news conference early in the tournament after taking just one question and skipping another completely and sending an assistant instead.

But his reaction to the extra-time defeat to Burkina Faso in Nelspruit was to underline the positives of what he called an ''historic'' campaign for Togo, where it reached the quarterfinals for the first time.

''Overall this has been a good tournament for us. What we are going to do perhaps is to put this game behind us and look into the future,'' Six said on Sunday. ''As for the analysis, I will look into it later and I will be able to give a proper analysis of tonight's game at a later stage.''

END OF THE ROAD

Review the high and low moments of the African Cup of Nations quarterfinals.

Togo's camp was already surrounded by problems before the tournament as Adebayor threatened to pull out over what he called poor organization and was then forced on Six by the president of the Togolese federation along with goalkeeper Kossi Agassa when the coach had apparently left the pair out of his final squad.

Adebayor also insisted Monday that his international career was not over and with the federation clearly taking his side over Six's before, it could spell the end for the French coach.

Tottenham forward Adebayor was openly critical of Six's coaching ability and style in the RFI interview, while goalkeeper Agassa also reportedly joined in the criticism.

Ironically, Agassa was caught out of position for Burkina Faso's winning goal from Jonathan Pitroipa in the 1-0 loss in the quarters and Adebayor failed to convert Togo's two best chances in regulation.