Tottenham assistant manager Stefan Freund is convinced Emmanuel Adebayor has a huge part to play for Spurs this season.
The Togo international forward completed a protracted permanent move to White Hart Lane this summer, after a highly successful spell on loan last season. However, the former Arsenal and Manchester City striker has found it difficult to get game time, with the in-form Jermain Defoe keeping him out of the starting lineup.
Adebayor has not started a single match under new manager Andre Villas-Boas, with the Portuguese citing various niggling injuries as being one of the reasons for the lack of game time. While Adebayor is never an easy player to manage, Freund has come out in support of the striker, after reports of the forward's unhappiness at having to play second fiddle to Defoe, who has been in good form all season, surfaced.
Adebayor might also miss out on Tottenham's League Cup clash with Norwich on Wednesday after coming down with a stomach bug.
"Adebayor is sick today," Freund said. "We will have a look tomorrow (to see if he is fit for Norwich).
"If you're not playing and you're injured then of course you are not happy.
"He's really sick but hopefully he will be back in time. He is one of the best strikers in the Premier League. We are happy to have him back here.
"We need every Tottenham Hotspur player. If Andre wants to rotate or change the position up front, it's good to have every player fit."
That Norwich clash will be taken very seriously by Spurs with Gareth Bale asking his teammates to continue the momentum created after a fighting 2-1 victory over Southampton on Sunday.
"We're enjoying our football now and we're on a good run so it is good times but we just need to keep our feet on the ground and move forward," said Bale, who opened the scoring against his former club.
Bale was happy to see his former club back in the English Premier League, even if he might have played a big part in beating them on Sunday. "It was amazing to see them back in the Premier League," Bale said. "I was fully chuffed for them when they got promoted last season and I am sure if they keep playing football like they did in the second half that they will survive in the league and kick on from there.
"It was nice to come back. I've been waiting obviously about five-and-a-half years to do so.
"It was great to come back. I've got some old friends here but the most important thing was to come here and get the job done with three points."
