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LONDON. — It has been a long wait for Emmanuel Adebayor.

The former Arsenal, Manchester City and Spurs striker has been out of the game since his contract ended at English Premiership soccer side Crystal Palace last season.

Yet he remains an idol in his Togo home and next week will remind the football world that we have not seen the last of him yet.

Adebayor (32) refuses to accept his time is up and will use the forthcoming African Cup of Nations to remind interested clubs of just how much he still has to offer.

His former Arsenal team-mate Emmanuel Eboue recently revealed that his prolonged absence from the game has plunged the Ivory Coast star into the depths of depression.

But the 2008 African Footballer of the Year is untroubled by such dark thoughts and does not want anyone to feel sorry for him.

He said: “People who know me will tell you that Emmanuel Adebayor is always laughing and joking.

“I am full of happiness to be alive and every day I wake up I give all the glory to God.

“People in Togo love me for what I have done for the country and for what I am going to do.

“Every time I am out of my house and the people see me, they show me love.

“So I can’t deny that I am happy to be who I am.

“Everyone knows I will always fight for my country and they believe in me.

“So I always enjoy myself when I wear the yellow shirt and defend the colours of Togo.”

Adebayor has been training under the personal supervision of national team manager Claude Le Roy while he searches for a new club.

The fact that he has yet to find any takers for his services has not diminished his self-belief and he declared: “Never in my life have I doubted what I can do on a football pitch.

“Whenever I play and whichever team I play for, I always score goals, give assists and make things happen.

“My confidence has not been affected at all. This is how football goes.

“Today you are a hero and the next you are a villain. For the past six months I have not played in any competition and that has been quite hard.

“Since the start of the season I have been working with the national manager in Togo, training with some local teams and with some friends.

“They are happy to learn from me and I am happy to learn from them. Every day is a fun process.

“I might have been out of competition, but I still love the game and am passionate about it. So I am still playing every day all over the area.”

Adebayor quit international football in 2010 after the Togo team bus was attacked by gunmen during the African Nations Cup in Angola. Three members of the group were killed.

He admitted: “It was hard to bounce back after that.

“I thought a lot about what had happened and I knew I could have been killed. But after a year or so I knew I had to move on and stop dwelling on the attack so I said to myself ‘you are still alive, so you have to keep working and enjoying yourself’ — and I have done that quite well.

“Even though I have not played for a club this season, I knew I would play at the African Nations Cup because I have been an important team member for many years.

“I have played more games and scored more goals for Togo than any other player. I am the team captain and I worked very hard to be where I am today.

“We have been talking to a few clubs and if I get one as a result of playing for Togo this month that will be fine.

“But I am not going to the tournament just to find a new club. I am going to play for my country.

“The transfer market is open and clubs are looking for new players. If anyone thinks I will be good for them, they know where I am.

“It won’t be a problem. If a club wants you, they will always find a way to get you.”

Adebayor was speaking at Togo’s training camp in Senegal ahead of travelling to Gabon for the tournament which kicks off on Saturday.He is particularly looking forward to meeting up with his former Palace team-mate Wilfried Zaha, who makes his Ivory Coast debut against Togo next Monday.Adebayor said: “Wilfried is a great talent who is very important to me so I wish him all the best of luck and will take this opportunity to welcome him to Africa.

“I am very proud of his decision. To defend the colour of his country is beautiful.

“I didn’t speak to him before he chose to represent the Ivory Coast because you can’t force someone to play for a team.

“I wanted that decision to come from his own heart. And I look forward to seeing him again in Gabon.”

Adebayor has lived in Togo’s capital Lome for the past six months but regularly travels to London to visit his daughter and maintains a keen interest in his former teams.

He added: “I watch many Premier League games on TV and my heart is always beating faster whenever I see Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City.

“But I cannot wish for one of them to win the League above the others because I have shared so many special moments with all of those teams.

“I still speak to many of my friends and former team-mates and they are always there for me, to encourage me and give me confidence.

“So I cannot say that I am a sad child. I’m a happy man. Everything is cool.” — The Sun.