Manchester City: Pep’s acidic response to Yaya Toure’s agent more than justified
About time, Pep. You and Manchester City have tolerated these insults long enough.
Foot-in-mouth syndrome — some people have it; some don’t. Yaya Toure‘s agent Dimitri Seluk is afflicted with a serious case of the disease. The latest round of disgusting verbiage came when Seluk blathered to the Daily Mirror about Toure feeling “humiliated” after Pep Guardiola had “the balls” to leave him off of Manchester’s City’s UEFA Champion’s League group stage squad.
Moreover, Seluk intoned that Guardiola should apologize to Toure if the Citizens fail to lift the cup at the competition’s end.
"If Pep Guardiola wants a war, then he can have one…Guardiola wins a few games and thinks he’s king…Well, what do I need to apologize for?"
Well, Pep’s fired back. In a press conference Tuesday before City’s EFL tie against Swansea City, Pep made it clear that Toure won’t sniff the pitch until Seluk expresses contrition for his comments:
"He must apologise to his team-mates, to the club. If he doesn’t, he won’t play. It was difficult to leave him out of the Champions League squad but [the] day after, his [agent] went to the media. He has not had the courage to call me. From that moment he was out…I cannot imagine in my period when I was a football player, my manager going to the media and speaking against Johan Cruyff, about this and about that. If he has a problem call the club, and they can talk. Until he speaks, Yaya is not going to play."
Related Story: Not naming Yaya Toure to UCL squad for the best
I’m fine with Pep’s firmness. Seluk’s in the wrong here. He’s actually in the wrong a lot: Complaining about how the club celebrated his client’s birthday, antagonizing City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain, poo-pooing Pep’s arrival. He can’t help mouthing off and just doesn’t play well with others. Pep drawing the line and showing some spine is totally appropriate given Seluk’s history of being an insufferable ass. Why suffer him and the aging, diminishing and expensive Toure he’s attached to any longer?
Of course, Seluk being Seluk, must have the last word, escalating tensions in an already situation already ablaze:
"Pep didn’t like my opinion? But what does he expect me to say when he does this to Yaya? I spoke out because I felt that Pep was being vindictive to Yaya. Unfortunately for Pep, we live in a world where you have the right to free speech. He has reacted to what I have said about him by punishing Yaya again. But I’m not surprised.…He was the same at Barcelona.He forced Samuel Eto’o to leave the club. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a player who cost £57m, was sold for just £18m. It has to always be about Pep Guardiola, no one else."
Seluk wasn’t done, spewing his mouth to Sky Sports:
"Guardiola wins a few games and thinks he’s king. I live in Europe so I can say what I like and Guardiola can’t stop me. I will apologise to Guardiola if he will apologise to [Manuel] Pellegrini for what he did to him. If you are a gentleman this just does not happen.…Well, what do I need to apologise for?"
For starters, a lot, Dimitri, a lot. But that’s besides the point. Seluk can muster all the bluster he wants, but he’s in no position to make demands. Pep’s laid down the law — simple as that. Yaya won’t play until he decides to leave.
That’s a good thing. This blowup, even though ugly, will likely catalyze the needed and long-coming separation between City and Toure. Pep and Toure are about as comfortable together as a butt sitting on a cactus, no matter if it’s at Barcelona or Manchester City. The vulcanizing feelings finally erupting will dissolve a marriage, very much toxic. The impetus is now way out in the open to get this divorce finally underway.
Furthermore it’s not like City can’t get along without Toure. The team is doing famously without him. Life not only goes on but it’s bountiful under these first couple months under Pep.
He indeed is “king,” Dimitri, and what he says goes. If you and Yaya don’t like that, then perhaps you’re the ones who should go.
The door’s wide open.