|
|
| Legend He has the football world at his feet. Gnégnéri Yaya Touré has taken decisive steps to achieving legendary status with his new club, chipping in with two vital goals – the first to ease past Manchester United and give Manchester City the opportunity of silverware for the first time in 35 years. The second won the FA Cup. £24m looks a steal now. Yaya has won the domestic double in Greece with Olympiacos and everything a club can win with the Catalan giants, Barcelona before moving to Eastlands. “All the players are important, Manchester City's Life President Bernard Halford said. “All the players are important. That's the manager's domain; he's picked the players that he wants. The club has got them and we're looking forward to going from strength to strength.” Wanted Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini wanted several players. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan's pockets were deep, spending £300m on players in three years, not to mention the huge wages bill, which includes Yaya's. “The manager is the person to ask about with respect about the players, but from the club's point of view is we spent a lot of money on players and all the players are important,” Halford said. “We're not saying 'he is more important than somebody else.'” Mancini lured the tall Ivorian midfielder – one of the few Muslims in top flight English football – to Manchester. He was not played in his best position at Barcelona and had fallen down the pecking order at the Camp Nou. Despite still being wanted in Barcelona Yaya had decided to go in search of a new challenge and an offer he could not refuse. “I bought him not only because he's a fantastic player and he scored in the semi-final and in the final, but I think that Yaya didn't have to score this afternoon,” Mancini said. “Yaya, the player for many years with Barça, with other important teams and Yaya is a very incredible player for me. He has big experience and in the last two games against United and Stoke he scored two important goals.” With the world of football at his feet and wages to match, the Ivorian, born into poverty, has carefully played his way into a position of power. He has delivered Manchester City's first trophy in 35 years and is set to become a firm fan favourite at Eastlands, but Touré Yaya has a social conscience. Now he has the resources to give opportunities to children like him. |
