[SIZE="4"]Goal.com Interview: Yaya Toure explains why he didn't sign for Arsenal and how Manchester City will be as big as Barcelona
Ivory Coast star says expensively assembled team will need time to gel...[/SIZE]
EXCLUSIVE
By Wayne Veysey | Chief correspondent
In an interview with Goal.com UK, Yaya Toure has revealed why he chose Manchester City above Manchester United, how close he came to being an Arsenal player and explains that youngsters should concentrate on technique and enjoyment.
You are one of the graduates of the famous ASEC Mimosas academy in Abidjan. How important was this to your football development?
In Ivory Coast we have one side. It is called ASEC Abidjan, where I was born with my brother Kolo. We started to play football in the street. One gentleman who is called Jean-Marc Guillou (the former France international) is a very good guy, very funny guy. I joined under him at this academy when I was 11 and stayed there for six or seven years. When you are young, you don’t think about money. You just think about enjoyment.
Is it best for youngsters to learn technique, tactics or the physical side?
The most important for kids is the aspect of the technique, then tactics. When you are young you just want to touch the ball. To work tactically and physically is different. When I start my formations with this academy, I start with the ball and technique.
Who is the best coach you have played for?
For me, the guy I started with at Abidjan, Jean-Marc Guillou. He is the best guy, like a father. He has been the most important guy.
You have played for clubs in Ivory Coast, Belgium, Ukraine, Greece, France, Spain, now England. Are you going to settle in England?
(Laughs) I love the Premier League. For a long time I have said I want to play in the Premier League with the biggest players like Steven Gerrard and my big friend Didier Drogba, and to play with my brother is amazing. When I was in Spain and in France I watched it on TV and loved it. Physically, it is strong and good. The fans are superb. For me to come to the Premier League is great.
Future | Yaya Toure and Roberto Mancini launch City's online academy with two hopefuls
How close did you come to signing for Arsenal?
Because I was African and not a European player you had to play either 75 or 90 per cent of international games to get a work permit. At the time I was young and it was not possible so I had to go back to Belgium.
Did Arsene Wenger go to great lengths to bring you to London?
He tried but it was difficult because I was not European. I was 17 when I went to Belgium and I was around 18 at the time [of Arsenal interest]. Paris St Germain were also interested at the time. When I trained with Arsenal I saw so many good players like Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry, the best player for me, and Dennis Bergkamp, who is an amazing player. I started to learn football and thought, 'this is what I want to do'.
Is there more scope for winning trophies at Manchester City than at Manchester United, who you were strongly linked with this summer?
The most important thing is how much the trainer and club want you. When the club speaks to you and the trainer meets you and says ‘I need you to make a good team’, for me, [the fact] he wants you, that is the most important thing. When a club comes in for you and you don’t speak to the trainer and don’t have the same interest in you, for me, that is bad. That is why I came to Man City. We have a fantastic coach and are signing good players. I think Man City will be great this year.
You have been called 'the new Patrick Vieira' and will played alongside the original at Man City. How special is that?
When I trained with Vieira I wanted to be like Vieira and play with Vieira. He is an amazing player who has won important trophies and I am very happy to learn from him.
Do you regard anything other than the Premier League title as failure this season?
The Premier League is a very strong and nice competition. When you see Chelsea, Man United, Liverpool, Arsenal, they are all great teams. It is not so easy, you know. Now Man City are making a big team. Now they have a lot of good players coming who need some adaptation. For me, the most important thing is that the team works together with the same mentality.
Is there pressure on the Man City team?
Yes, now every team in every country is starting to look at Manchester City because everybody knows they are doing well and signing good players. For me, pressure or not, I have played for a lot of clubs and when I was at Barcelona the pressure was amazing. Now I am experienced, I want to work hard and do my best for this club to be successful.
Many people would regard moving from Barcelona to Man City as a step down. Do you agree?
No. For me, the Premier League is amazing and stronger than La Liga. Barcelona is an amazing club but Man City is doing big things and in a few years Manchester City will be like a big club.
Who are Man City’s main rivals? Manchester United? Chelsea?
Manchester United will be a big rival. Now their rival [Man City] is making good signings and for Man United it is not so nice because we are making good progress. I want to see how they go before making a decision.
Does the prospect of Man City signing Mario Balotelli from Inter Milan excite you?
I am totally happy when the club is signing a big player like this. It’s nice for the club, for the team and for your partner. It’s very important because now you start to think, ‘I’m at a great club’. When you sign a great player now you think, ‘I’m at a big club’ and you are totally sure you want to do your best. I want to do my best and win everything at City this year. I am totally sure Man City will be great this year.
Yaya Toure was speaking at the launch of cityecademy (
http://www.cityecademy.com), Manchester City's online coaching school offering free skills and training videos featuring first team players and experts from the club’s hugely successful youth Academy.
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