Why Mauricio Pochettino Must Stand by 'Leader' Emmanuel Adebayor This Season

Emmanuel Adebayor has never been loved at Tottenham. 

Even in his debut season when he scored 18 goals and led Spurs to fourth place in the Premier League, he was still criticised for his attitude and his work-rate. 

Now, with the January transfer window looming and new manager Mauricio Pochettino facing difficult decisions about how to shape his squad for the future, should Adebayor be sacrificed to raise funds and create squad space for new signings? 

Following Tottenham's latest anemic home defeat, Adebayor spoke out about the atmosphere at White Hart Lane. He made no outrageous statements but, inevitably in an eventless international week, the story was spun as a "laughable" attack on Spurs fans. 

"

Adebayor dropping truth bombs. Cannot disagree with a single thing he's saying, although obviously his comments will be met by negativity.

— Chris Miller (@WindyCOYS) November 10, 2014"

Equally inevitable were the transfer rumours that followed. The Mirror's John Cross and Mail's Simon Jones both produced stories that Pochettino had seen enough and was ready to sell his senior striker. 

However, despite the fact that it would appease frustrated fans, Pochettino should stick with Adebayor (for this season at least). 

According to Matt Law of the Telegraph, Adebayor has a healthy relationship with Pochettino. That is key. His contributions under Andre Villas-Boas led partially to his sacking as manager. He admitted openly criticising AVB in front of teammates and that helped to undermine his authority. 

Pochettino is trying to build a team at Tottenham where, he believes, one does not exist. Concerned by defeats to Newcastle and Stoke, he questioned the mentality of the players. 

Greg Stobart, of Goal.com, argued that the arrival of former Southampton head of recruitment Paul Mitchell at Spurs signals the club's continuing desire to help Pochettino deliver his footballing philosophy. They believe that Pochettino can deliver if given the right support. 

Adebayor can help deliver that support on and off the pitch. Despite the belief among fans that Soldado works harder and is therefore a better option, Adebayor has a far better understanding of the system that Pochettino is trying to employ and appears to be better at implementing it on the pitch. 

He understands the selective pressing game that Pochettino favours. It is clear on the pitch that Adebayor is nearer to understanding what his manager is asking of him than most of his teammates. His leadership will be crucial to improving Spurs' fortunes this season. 

When Adebayor was announced as one of Spurs' vice-captains for the coming season, it was met with incredulity but Bleacher Report's lead writer Alex Dimond observed that "it could channel [his] energy in a positive direction, to the benefit of both him and the rest of the team."

Tim Sherwood benefited from that energy when he welcomed Adebayor back into the team last season. He scored 11 league goals and helped Spurs win matches.

His experiences as captain of Togo forced rapid maturity upon him. His leadership in the aftermath of the 2010 terrorist attack on the Togo team bus was notable and he has become something of a statesman for his native country in the ensuing years. 

In a candid interview on Sky Sports News in January this year, Adebayor spoke about the impact the attack had on his life and the way it influenced his relationship with football. 

His presence as a senior player in the Tottenham dressing room will be beneficial to a squad that is young, inexperienced in England or both. Adebayor is a seasoned veteran and he spoke like a leader after the Stoke defeat. 

Adebayor will never be a fan favourite at Spurs. There is too much history.  

Highly regarded Tottenham blogger Chris Miller gave an insightful explanation of why Adebayor doesn't seem to be fairly judged by Spurs fans in 2013. "He’s ex-Arsenal; he’s shown signs of being a mercenary in the past; he doesn’t tear around the pitch like Scott Parker; instead, he has a languid, laid back style—somewhere between Berbatov and Kanoute—that can be seen as arrogance. Essentially he’s pretty easy to dislike."

Even his wages, which are often estimated at £175,000 per week despite the Telegraph's Matt Law pointing out that it is actually closer to half that, are a source of ire for Spurs fans. 

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

This is the crucial point. Adebayor should be retained for this season because he is a far more flexible and intelligent player than Roberto Soldado, and because he enjoys a solid relationship with the manager. His seniority and genuine leadership qualities make him an influential member of the dressing room. Mauricio Pochettino trusts Adebayor and can use him to help educate the squad and improve it. 

Adebayor will not become an integral part of Spurs' team, but he will help it become better than it is. Spurs should certainly not sell him in January, but they should look to move him on in the summer. 

The fact is that Adebayor's best days are likely behind him yet he accounts for a considerable chunk of Spurs' total wage budget. His approximately £5.2 million annual salary is too high for an ageing striker and his contributions do not match his compensation. 

Pochettino is building a team at Tottenham. If he sees Adebayor as useful in those efforts, it would undermine the manager to sell him. Adebayor can help the ongoing transition at Spurs to run more smoothly. His value to Tottenham is real but short term. They must get what they can from him this season before moving on next summer.