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Yaya Toure Talks Manchester City Disappointments, Coaching Ambitions, More
November 18, 2019
Yaya Toure has said he regrets not winning the UEFA Champions League with Manchester City before departing the Etihad Stadium in 2018.
The four-time African Footballer of the Year won three Premier League titles with City after arriving from Barcelona.
However, Toure was unable to help his team to victory in Europe's biggest club competition.
Speaking to Henry Winter of The Times (h/t the Manchester Evening News' Charlotte Duncker), Toure explained his primary regret before exiting Manchester.
"I didn't do enough," Toure said. "I missed winning the Champions League with City. There's a lot of pressure. The Champions League is all the great teams, they are clever, they have this sharpness."
Toure was a defensive presence during his career at the Camp Nou, but his 2010 move to City saw him become one of the most dangerous goalscoring midfielders in the Premier League.
The 36-year-old now plays for Qingdao Huanghai in China and has expressed an interest about moving into management once he retires:
"I just want people to give me a chance, and they'll not be disappointed. I will carry on playing, maybe a few years. Premier League, Championship, depends, but being a manager is something I'm looking forward to a lot. I will start my badges. My big brother Leon is going to help me with that. I want to be close to my family."
Toure also spoke about the toughest opponent he played against in England, naming Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic.
"Nemanja Matic was complicated," Toure said. "He's not quick but he's so strong, clever. All the rest of the opponents, because I always looked at them carefully before games, I get their weakness."
The Ivory Coast international could carry on playing, but a lack of mobility was evident during his final year with City.
Toure was underrated as a tactician on the pitch, and his timing and box-to-box ability were world-class when he was at his most potent.
The midfielder could develop into an excellent coach in the years ahead, following his brother Kolo Toure into the backroom of a football club. Kolo has had success after working under Brendan Rodgers at Celtic and is now a first-team coach at Leicester City.