Yaya Toure's agent lashes out at 'vindictive' Guardiola over threat to end player's Man City career
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ByEurosport
Published 21/09/2016 at 09:09 GMT
Yaya Toure's agent Dimitri Seluk has hit back at Pep Guardiola after the Manchester City manager threatened to end Toure's career.
Yaya Toure - Manchester City
Image credit: PA Photos
Guardiola was outraged at Seluk's comments about Toure being "humiliated" by being left out of City's Champions League squad for this season.
The Spaniard hit back at Seluk saying that until Seluk apologises, Toure will not be selected.
"He must apologise. If he doesn't, he won't play," Guardiola said.
Seluk has now hit back, speaking to Sky Sports News and the Daily Mirror.
"Guardiola wins a few games and think he is king," Seluk told Sky.
"I live in Europe so I can say whatever I like and Guardiola can't stop me."
In his interview with the Mirror, Seluk warned: "If Pep Guardiola wants a war, then he can have one.
"Pep didn't like my opinion? But what does he expect me to say when he does this to Yaya?
Yaya is a player who has made history for Manchester City. He has won the Premier League twice, he has won the FA Cup, he has won the League Cup twice and he helped them reach the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time. I spoke out because I felt that Pep was being vindictive to Yaya.
"He has reacted to what I have said about him by punishing Yaya again. But I'm not surprised. Pep doesn't want players with personality. He only wants players who are scared of him and will do what he says...
"The first thing he did when he arrived at City was to pick a fight with Yaya and Joe Hart, two of the club's biggest players. Hart is England's goalkeeper; Yaya has won the African Footballer of the Year four times.
"They have both been big personalities in the dressing room at City and Guardiola doesn't like that.
When you first go into someone's house then you should treat them with respect. You don't go into someone's house and ask them to leave. He was the same at Barcelona. He forced Samuel Eto'o to leave the club. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a player who cost £57million, was sold for just £18million. It has to always be about Pep Guardiola, no-one else.
Seluk added to Sky that he wants Guardiola to apologise before he himself will climb down.
"I will apologise to Guardiola if he will apologise to Manuel Pellegrini for what he did to him," Seluk told the station.
Seluk's reference to Pellegrini, Guardiola's predecessor as City manager, is a long-standing issue between the men which surfaced when he said earlier this year that City had "screwed Pellegrini" and "shown him no respect" by announcing Guardiola's impending arrival several months before the end of the season.
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola with Yaya Toure as he is substituted as Raheem Sterling (L) prepares to come on
Image credit: Reuters
Guardiola had made his threat while speaking at his press conference ahead of the EFL Cup game against Swansea City.
The City manager claimed that it had been hard for him to drop Tour for the Champions League, saying, "It was so difficult for me to put him out in the Champions League, so difficult.
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola
Image credit: Reuters
"I know him, I know he’s a good good guy, but it was difficult for me... But the day after his manager spoke. At that moment Yaya was out.
"[Toure will be out] until Mr Dmitri Seluk comes back in the press conference, or his friends in the media, he has the courage to call me, go to the media and apologise to Manchester City...
"When that happens Yaya will be part of the group and he will have the same chance to play all the games...
"I know how Dmitri Seluk loves Yaya Toure, if he loves me, show me and apologise to Manchester City."
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola with Yaya Toure as he is substituted as Raheem Sterling (L) prepares to come on
Image credit: Reuters
Guardiola then went on to say that he could scarcely believe what had happened.
"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," said the ex-Barcelona player and manager.
"Maybe it’s a new era now, the new period changing, but I’m an old guy. I am old generation," he added
"Today the [players'] managers believe they are more then they are. If he has a problem, call Txiki Begiristain, the club, and they can talk. Until he [does that], Yaya is not going to play."
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