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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1363600/MARTIN-SAMUEL-Kolo-Toure-gave-slim-excuse.html

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What a legend....

[SIZE="4"]City angered by Touré's conference trip[/SIZE]

By Ian Herbert


Friday, 1 April 2011

Touré attended the Soccerex convention in Manchester

Kolo Toure came close to causing Manchester City embarrassment yesterday when he arrived for a tour of a busy football conference without telling his club.

City were angry that the organisers of Soccerex had seen fit to invite a player who is currently suspended after allegedly taking an illegal substance. Had they known about the proposed appearance, the club would have vetoed it.

City have refused to disclose even if Touré has provided a B sample, having failed an initial drugs test in February, as they do not want to be seen to be influencing any possible Football Association hearing. But Touré seemed ready to speak as he toured the Soccerex convention in Manchester and was whisked out of journalists' reach just before doing so. Asked whether he had a message for City fans, the defender replied: "I will be back soon. I hope so."

Touré's appearance, yesterday afternoon was certainly bizarre. After stopping to talk to a turf company, he sampled a hand-eye coordination game, before moving on to the next stand with a large media entourage on his trail.

City consider the invitation to represent opportunism, though Soccerex did extend its offer some time in advance. "Soccerex is delighted Kolo Touré was able to [attend]," organisers said in a statement

Meanwhile, Andrea Traverso, Uefa's head of club licensing and responsible for implementing Michel Platini's financial fair play (FFP) regime has told The Independent that 20 clubs from across Europe – possibly including City – will be asked to volunteer for a dummy run of the regime from this autumn. This will allow Uefa to monitor their spending closely and assess their willingness to comply with FFP.

Suspended Manchester City defender Kolo Toure believes his side have what it takes to be Premier League contenders in the future.Toure, who is currently suspended after testing positive for a banned substance, also thinks the club are yet to see the best of troubled striker Mario Balotelli, and predicts big things for the Italian.

“I’m feeling really happy at City now, we have some new players and a new vision of football,” the Ivorian said.

“We want to win things and at the moment we’re doing well and we hope to finish in the top four and see if we can qualify for the Champions League.”

“We are improving every season, last season we finished fifth and if this season we can finish in the top four that will be great and it will show we’re progressing and I think that is the most important.”

“To win the Premier League is very difficult because there are some top teams but when you have good players (and) you all want to win, that can happen definitely.”

Toure believes the senior players at Eastlands have a responsibility to the help the younger players, such as Balotelli, adjust to life in the Premier League.

“We have some young players some more experienced players and I think the experienced players just try to help the young players,” he said.

“I think Balotelli is a young player and he needs to adapt to the Premier League and the English culture and to the English spirit. I think from next season you will see better coming from him.”

Manchester City appear bound for an off-field battle with another of their high-profile players, with defender Kolo Toure determined to fight any potential punishment handed down by the club over his six-month drug ban.

Toure returned a positive drugs test in February, and was later found guilty of taking a banned substance and subsequently suspended until August. It was later revealed Toure had taken on the substance by consuming his wife's slimming pills without consulting the club's medical staff.

City are now reportedly set to put the 30-year-old in front of an internal disciplinary panel, chaired by club executive Brian Marwood, next week. The club will be investigating whether to fine the player for his extended unavailability if he is found to have been in breach of his professional duty.

However, the player's agent, Saif Rubie, insists Toure will contest any such punishment.

"Kolo is disappointed that the club have decided to take this stance and he will contest any planned action against him. However, he will continue to give his all, as always, for Roberto Mancini and the team in their quest for honours this season," Rubie is quoted as saying in the English press.

Meanwhile, City are believed to be standing firm on their asking price of €40 million for another of their troubled former captain's, Carlos Tevez. City are understood to be unmoved by Brazilian side Corinthians hinting at a cut-price deal on Tuesday through their president Andres Sanchez.

"Although many people do not believe it, Tevez is much closer to the Corinthians than you can imagine. The initial offer was €40m and that is now €18m because of all the problems he has faced back in England," Sanchez told the Brazilian media.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says Kolo Toure is free to join Bursaspor but has questioned whether the Turkish club can afford to sign him.

Toure, 31, found himself behind Joleon Lescott and Vincent Komapny in City's defensive pecking order last season, and also faced competition from Micah Richards and Serbian youngster Stefan Savic.

Mancini has yet to bolster his defensive options this summer but is nonetheless prepared to let the former Arsenal centre-back leave Eastlands in searck of first-team football.

Bursaspor appear in pole position to land Toure at present, but Mancini says the ball is now in the player's court , while he is unsure whether the 2009-10 Turkish Super Lig winners can meet the player's wage demands.

"It is up to Kolo to decide if he wants to go to Bursaspor or not," Mancini said. "However, can they meet his demands?"

Toure, who made just eight Premier League starts in 2011-12 having missed much of the first half of the campaign through a six-month ban for failing a drugs test, is also thought to be a target for Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal.

Kolo joins Liverpool. Now confirmed.

Good for him. I'm happy he got to stay in the premier league.

Maybe when we play them they can do the kolo kolo kolo part of the yaya and kolo song