oakiecokie
Well-Known Member
Manchester City delay Yaya Touré's Africa Cup of Nations release
• Midfielder able to play in FA Cup tie against Manchester United
• 'I have to go … but I am a little bit guilty and confused'
Daniel Taylor
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 13 December 2011 23.00 GMT
Manchester City have agreed special dispensation to delay the departure of a "guilty and confused" Yaya Touré to the Africa Cup of Nations so he can take part in their FA Cup tie against Manchester United and the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final against Liverpool.
Touré still faces the possibility of missing a month of City's title campaign and the Ivory Coast international has admitted being torn about his involvement in the tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, starting on 21 January.
However, City have minimised the damage by persuading Ivory Coast not to enforce a Fifa rule that players can be called up two weeks before the competition. The same provisional agreement is in place for his brother, Kolo, and means they can be involved against United on 8 January followed by the home leg of the Liverpool match three days later.
City's case was helped by Roberto Mancini's links with François Zahoui, the Ivory Coast manager, who spent two seasons in Italy with Ascoli in the 1980s. However, it has also become increasingly clear on the part of Yaya Touré that his desire to represent his country is tempered by the fact it means missing potentially five league games, the second leg of the Liverpool tie and a possible replay against United or an FA Cup fourth-round game.
"Our country needs people like myself and Didier Drogba because there is a war and it's important we do what we can for our people, but this is also a crucial time of the season," he said. "There are two crucial months coming up and now I am going to miss one of them. The team, the club and the manager need me, but I will have to go away and play in a different competition.
"It's difficult as I am very focused for City and we need all the players. I have to go because my country is going through some difficult things, but I am a little bit guilty and confused about it. My loyalties are divided and I do feel a little bit sad. But City will cope. We have fantastic players who can take my place, such as Nigel de Jong and Gareth Barry, while Owen Hargreaves is also working very hard to come back."
Mancini's concern about losing the former Barcelona player partly explains why he has prioritised the signing of another central midfielder in the January transfer window and is monitoring the potential availability of Daniele De Rossi at Roma.
The City manager has lost the trust he once had in De Jong but, with Touré away, the Premier League leaders are expected to repel QPR's attempts to sign the Dutchman on loan until the end of the season.
Just noticed this at the bottom of the Yaya thread
• Midfielder able to play in FA Cup tie against Manchester United
• 'I have to go … but I am a little bit guilty and confused'
Daniel Taylor
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 13 December 2011 23.00 GMT
Manchester City have agreed special dispensation to delay the departure of a "guilty and confused" Yaya Touré to the Africa Cup of Nations so he can take part in their FA Cup tie against Manchester United and the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final against Liverpool.
Touré still faces the possibility of missing a month of City's title campaign and the Ivory Coast international has admitted being torn about his involvement in the tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, starting on 21 January.
However, City have minimised the damage by persuading Ivory Coast not to enforce a Fifa rule that players can be called up two weeks before the competition. The same provisional agreement is in place for his brother, Kolo, and means they can be involved against United on 8 January followed by the home leg of the Liverpool match three days later.
City's case was helped by Roberto Mancini's links with François Zahoui, the Ivory Coast manager, who spent two seasons in Italy with Ascoli in the 1980s. However, it has also become increasingly clear on the part of Yaya Touré that his desire to represent his country is tempered by the fact it means missing potentially five league games, the second leg of the Liverpool tie and a possible replay against United or an FA Cup fourth-round game.
"Our country needs people like myself and Didier Drogba because there is a war and it's important we do what we can for our people, but this is also a crucial time of the season," he said. "There are two crucial months coming up and now I am going to miss one of them. The team, the club and the manager need me, but I will have to go away and play in a different competition.
"It's difficult as I am very focused for City and we need all the players. I have to go because my country is going through some difficult things, but I am a little bit guilty and confused about it. My loyalties are divided and I do feel a little bit sad. But City will cope. We have fantastic players who can take my place, such as Nigel de Jong and Gareth Barry, while Owen Hargreaves is also working very hard to come back."
Mancini's concern about losing the former Barcelona player partly explains why he has prioritised the signing of another central midfielder in the January transfer window and is monitoring the potential availability of Daniele De Rossi at Roma.
The City manager has lost the trust he once had in De Jong but, with Touré away, the Premier League leaders are expected to repel QPR's attempts to sign the Dutchman on loan until the end of the season.
Just noticed this at the bottom of the Yaya thread