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Manchester City legend heading to Greece for final part of his career

By David Crook

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 14: Yaya Toure (R) of Manchester City celebrates with Mario Balotelli (L) after scoring during the FA Cup sponsored by E.ON Final match between Manchester City and Stoke City at Wembley Stadium on May 14, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 14: Yaya Toure (R) of Manchester City celebrates with Mario Balotelli (L) after scoring during the FA Cup sponsored by E.ON Final match between Manchester City and Stoke City at Wembley Stadium on May 14, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) /
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MARCH 07: Yaya Toure of Manchester City advances with the ball during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Manchester City and FC Basel at Etihad Stadium on March 7, 2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MARCH 07: Yaya Toure of Manchester City advances with the ball during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Manchester City and FC Basel at Etihad Stadium on March 7, 2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /

Career takes a plunge

But at the end of the 2013/14 season came the first moment which really began to trouble the fans. On 20 May 2014 Dmitry Seluk, agent of Toure and his good friend, tweeted out the infamous birthday cake. Suggesting Toure was not feeling loved by Manchester City and his birthday had not been honoured.

In reality there were negotiations going on in the background about a pay rise and new contract and at this point the agent’s demands for improvements had not been met.

Seluk suggested further Toure may have to go elsewhere. Initially fans believed the remarks were by Seluk and Toure may not be involved. But in the weeks that followed Toure confirmed Seluk speaks on his behalf and he intimated more would be said after the World Cup.

Some fans felt less easy with Toure at this point, partly because memories of Tevez were still present. Tevez was another great signing and a great player but his legacy at Manchester City was coloured by his behaviour which frequently sees him missed out in discussions of Manchester City legends past.

Tevez agitated for a pay rise immediately following his debut season and clashed with new Manager Roberto Mancini. This culminated in Tevez refusing to come on as substitute against Bayern Munich much to the fury of Mancini.

Tevez went on strike – staying away from the club for 3 months. The newspapers reported he was happy golfing.

Tevez returned to the team, scored a goal and celebrated by doing his golf swing. Its fair to say he became difficult for fans to love (although I still love the “Welcome to Manchester” billboard advertising his signing from Manchester United to Manchester City in 2010).

Toure’s birthday cake saga created some issues for some City fans.

Many however responded with trademark humour singing a new song urging the board to “pay him some more”. Fans returned to their Yaya dance and chants.

In the following seasons Toure’s light began to fade. The arrival of Guardiola, the manager who had sold him at Barcelona, seemed to indicate the end was near for Toure at Manchester City.

This seemed particularly true when Toure was left out of the Champions League squad in the 2016/17 season. Toure’s agent Seluk went on the offensive again. Both on Twitter and in interviews with broadcast media he briefed how Guardiola had humiliated Toure.

Guardiola responded by removing Toure from the first team squad and saying he would stay there until Toure and Seluk had apologised.

The apology was issued and Toure returned although by now he was reduced to being a bit part player, a squad player rather than the first name on the team sheet.

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