Following on from the sad news of the death of Yaya and Kolo Toure’s brother a few days ago, the press are unfortunately carrying further quotes from Yaya where it seems he is claiming that Manchester City forced him to go on the celebratory trip to Abu Dhabi and wouldn’t grant him leave to spend time with his sibling.
The interview was apparently conducted with France Football, but the quotes are everywhere today, following both brothers’ decision to remain in Brazil on World Cup duty following his passing.
‘I confess that I am still very sad. I’m suffering because I feel I have done nothing useful for him the last few weeks. I wanted to stay for four or five days with my brother before I flew to prepare for the World Cup. Except City did not want to give me a few days. I went to celebrate in the wake of the league title in Abu Dhabi, while my brother was dying in his bed. By fortune, Kolo was at his bedside. In retrospect, I regret not having insisted. For not making them respect me. However, my employers knew that I was suffering for a few months seeing my brother’s health decline. He was my confidant, my best friend to. This is the reason I had several injuries at the end of the season. Because my head had taken control of my body.’
Having had a long history so far of granting compassionate leave, City have refused to comment specifically on these latest claims by the player, but it’s said a source close to the club has stated that they were not approached over the possibility of him missing the celebratory trip so he could remain in the UK with his brother.
Historically under our new ownership we have allowed Pablo Zabaleta to return to Argentina back in 2011 after his father was seriously hurt in a car crash, Carlos Tevez was given time to return to South America back in 2010 when is daughter was born prematurely and was in intensive care. Their was the unexpected Togo bus attack by gunmen with Emmanuel Adebayor, and former manager Roberto Mancini made regular trips home to help care for his father following a heart attack, most recently Manuel Pellegrini leaving our pre season last summer following the passing of his own mother.
Did he ask for compassionate leave? Would the club have reacted any differently given the procedures we have in place (like all clubs) for instances such as this?
Maybe the future will shed a light on this, because non of us know for sure, however many will unfortunately see this as a continuation of the earlier Birthday-gate situation as it pertains to his future at the club, and many will question unfortunately why we heard twittering about handshakes and the size of birthday cakes and not our apparent refusal (or not) of compassionate leave earlier.
Maybe the ‘after the World Cup interview’ can’t come quick enough before this becomes possibly bitter and drawn out, as a lot of fans, whilst sympathising with his loss, aren’t happy.
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