Pochettino support for Adebayor

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino continues to offer Emmanuel Adebayor the club’s full support after the striker was given compassionate leave to return to Togo, but will give no guarantees on his future at White Hart Lane.

Earlier this week Adebayor published the latest in a series of lengthy Facebook posts in which he revealed he had contemplated suicide due to a family feud.

The 31-year-old had already been allowed time away earlier in the campaign and will miss Sunday’s final Barclays Premier League match against Everton, as well as the post-season trip to Kuala Lumpur and then Sydney.

While Pochettino completely understands the player’s individual situation, the club will assess the future of several squad members once the season has concluded.

“This is a private life. I spoke with him earlier in the week, it is difficult for him and for that of course we let him go to Togo and fix his problems with his family,” said Pochettino.

“It is hard for him. It is sad but he needs to fix the problem with his family in Togo.”

Asked about the future of the former Arsenal and Manchester City forward, Pochettino said: “This is a different problem.

“One problem is his private live, the other is the sports side and always we need to take a decision for the future of the club, but here is no decision yet.

“We need to take a decision (on what we will start to do with the squad) next week and at this moment we don’t take any decision.”

Pochettino, though, will not allow any distractions ahead of the trip to Goodison Park, where Spurs could secure Europa League qualification.

“We are very focused on Sunday, he is focused on sorting his problem,” Pochettino said.

“We have the opportunity to achieve fifth in the table and we need to put our energy into Everton.”

One player who will be in action this weekend is Harry Kane.

The 30-goal striker has been included in England’s Under-21 squad for the European Championships in the Czech Republic, giving him little down time over the summer.

Pochettino said: “We need to be positive. We spoke with the FA and (manager) Gareth Southgate, and now we need to back the FA and Under-21.

“We hope they come back with the trophy and Harry scores a lot of goals. Then we need to provide (him) a good rest to start next season in a good condition.

Pochettino added: “It is our job to design a very good strategy to try and give Harry after the tournament a good rest and prepare him for the next season.

“We need to back Harry and that Harry can be sure and confident in our skill to manage him when he is back from the tournament, so that next season he will be stronger.”

Kane has not scored in his last four matches, but Pochettino is not concerned.

“This happens in football, up and down with a player, and all some times the period during the season it is difficult to score every game,” he said.

“But I am not worried about that and only now we need to back him and be positive in the future.”

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