Yaya Toure targetting new Manchester City triumphs

MANCHESTER - Agence France-Presse

Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure says Manchester City should be starting to build a new dynasty in English football. AFP photo

Manchester City’s Yaya Toure is already looking ahead to winning more trophies next season after the club’s nailbiting capture of the English Premier League crown.

The Ivory Coast midfielder has been a central figure in the club’s progress but was off the field injured when two goals in extra-time gave his side a 3-2 win at home to Queens Park Rangers on May 13.

The victory saw City win their first title in 44 years, as they edged out bitter rivals Manchester United on goal difference. “We have been unbelievable,” Toure told City TV. I thank all but I think next year will be more and I hope City will become a great club in the world. I will think about the new season and I hope it will be more exciting than the last one.

“I think the fans may enjoy it more because now we have fantastic players, they are growing.

“They have fantastic talent and I think next year we will get more cups than this year.” Reflecting on the astonishing climax to Sunday’s match, Toure -- who went off just before half-time and then saw City fall 2-1 behind -- said: “It was unbelievable. When we had 10 minutes left I was thinking we needed a goal to try to help us. “With all this season, always doing well, to have lost the Premier League at home -- it would have been a disaster, I think I can say that.

“I am very happy. I think the team deserves it, the fans deserve it, the boss deserves it. I think all this club deserves it this year.

“That was the character of the team, the winning mentality. The team did fantastically well.”
With United winning at Sunderland, it looked as if the title was staying at Old Trafford but stoppage-time goals from Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero ensured City ended the season as England’s top club for the first time since 1968.

An elated Aguero, who finished his first season with City with 30 goals, said: “The only thing I can say is I am really happy. The truth is we can hardly believe it ourselves.” 

City’s lavish spending on players, courtesy of Abu Dhabi-based owner Sheikh Mansour, has, inevitably, led to accusations they “bought the title”.

But City director Dennis Tueart said they had little choice if they were to compete with the likes of United.

“We had to invest in a big way to catch up,” Tueart told the BBC. “We already had a great youth set-up, a good support base and a new stadium, we just needed to invest at the top end.”