AFCB_Mark
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2014
- Messages
- 3,514
- Reaction score
- 1,063
- Points
- 113
- Supports
- A single unitary authority for urban Dorset
Toure played under Guardiola for two years at Barca, as well as a couple of years at Man City. So Toure and Guardiola will know each other better than most. Maybe Pep does have something against African players, I don't know the bloke. But we can look at the evidence to hand.
There was bad blood between the two back at Barca, when Toure was usurped by Sergio Busquets for the holding midfield role. Busquets who went on to have a superb career obviously, suggesting that was a fair decision. Toure was shunted back into defence at Barca, if playing at all, which he was not happy about. He left Barca under a cloud.
Then Toure goes to Man City, is a star player for a number of seasons, playing in a more attacking role. His age brings about a natural decline in importance, with others coming in and becoming more prominent in the team over that time, but a time which does vaguely coincide with Guardiola's arrival.
In short I can see there being reasons for Toure not exactly liking Guardiola, as Pep's arrival as manager twice seemed to result in Toure losing prominence at a club during his career. But there would appear on the face of it to be obvious footballing reasons for that.
Current City players Leroy Sane and Benjamin Mendy are both part Senegalese, whilst choosing to represent Germany and France respectively. It also wouldn't be the first time Toure / his representatives have come out with some...odd... lines of thinking. Least we remember the cake paddy, which was two year before Guardiola's involvement.
It's a serious allegation Toure is making, and if Toure wants to "break the myth" of Guardiola via this accusation, then it'll require something more substantive, I feel.
There was bad blood between the two back at Barca, when Toure was usurped by Sergio Busquets for the holding midfield role. Busquets who went on to have a superb career obviously, suggesting that was a fair decision. Toure was shunted back into defence at Barca, if playing at all, which he was not happy about. He left Barca under a cloud.
Then Toure goes to Man City, is a star player for a number of seasons, playing in a more attacking role. His age brings about a natural decline in importance, with others coming in and becoming more prominent in the team over that time, but a time which does vaguely coincide with Guardiola's arrival.
In short I can see there being reasons for Toure not exactly liking Guardiola, as Pep's arrival as manager twice seemed to result in Toure losing prominence at a club during his career. But there would appear on the face of it to be obvious footballing reasons for that.
Current City players Leroy Sane and Benjamin Mendy are both part Senegalese, whilst choosing to represent Germany and France respectively. It also wouldn't be the first time Toure / his representatives have come out with some...odd... lines of thinking. Least we remember the cake paddy, which was two year before Guardiola's involvement.
It's a serious allegation Toure is making, and if Toure wants to "break the myth" of Guardiola via this accusation, then it'll require something more substantive, I feel.