Hull want players back from African Nations

Hull manager Phil Brown has called for the immediate return of his players at the African Nations Cup following Friday’s gun attack on the Togo team bus.

Brown added the incident, which killed the driver and injured nine, threw a “question mark” over this year’s World Cup finals in South Africa.

Meanwhile rival English Premier League boss Harry Redknapp said organisers should now think about calling off the African Nations Cup, which is taking place in Angola, even though officials insisted Friday it would go ahead.

Hull are one of several English top-flight clubs with players at the tournament, in their case Gabon striker Daniel Cousin and Nigeria midfielder Seyi Olofinjana.

“I am appalled,” Brown told Saturday’s edition of Britain’s Sun newspaper. “This throws a question mark against next summer’s World Cup.

“You simply cannot put the safety of players, officials and fans at the slightest risk. That is totally unacceptable.

“I have two players – Daniel Cousin and Seyi Olofinjana – on duty and I want them back home here with us as quickly as possible.”

Tottenham boss Redknapp, who does not have any players at the tournament, said: “It’s frightening. I agree it’s worth considering calling the whole thing off. We can’t just sit around and wait for the next shooting.”

The Togo team were set to decide Saturday whether to withdraw from the tournament after an attack that took place in the restive enclave of Cabinda and for which the separatist Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC) claimed responsibility.

“I think a lot of players want to leave,” Togo team captain and Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who was unharmed, told BBC Radio Five Live in Britain early Saturday.

“If the security is not sure then we will be leaving tomorrow… I don’t think they will be ready to give their life.”