English Premiership
Toure: Tevez cost me armband
2010-09-08 10:43
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Johannesburg - Kolo Toure claims a plan to help Carlos Tevez become the next Diego Maradona cost him the Manchester City armband.
Former Arsenal captain Toure was handed the skipper's post at Eastlands following his £15m arrival last year.
But the 29-year-old defender was stripped of the role by manager Roberto Mancini, who took over from Mark Hughes last December.
Toure says Mancini handed Tevez the armband in an attempt to send him down the same path as former Argentina superstar Maradona, but the Ivorian insists he made no protest to the switch.
"The boss came to see me at the start of the season and told me he had a difficult decision to make," said Toure.
"He broke the news that he would be making Carlos captain, in order that he would become a lot more involved with the club's squad.
"He even quoted the example of Diego Maradona at Napoli, who worked wonders once he had been appointed their captain.
"I told him it was not a problem and accepted his decision. I'm not more important than the team and the decision was taken for the benefit of Manchester City."
Toure also admitted to disagreements with Ivory Coast team-mate Didier Drogba, but is adamant he and the 32-year-old Chelsea man have now settled their differences.
"There is no problem between us," he added. "The proof is the fact we phone one another and speak like brothers."
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