Toure looked at Bony, who seemed utterly dispirited, and harshly scolded him: "My little brother, it’s just been a few rounds since the league started, and you’re already losing confidence in yourself? Are you really an Ivorian? People from our country would never be so timid!"
"As for others playing well, that’s their business. The key is to strive to better yourself. If you’re truly worried about your position, then train like crazy every day!"
"From what I know, Tang Long always pushes himself further with the fitness coach after each training session. What about you? Do you do extra training?"
Bony nodded with grievance and said, "Extra training, big brother, I’m in the gym every day doing additional training, and I come to the training ground early."
"Well... then, what you’ve been doing just isn’t enough," Toure continued with a stern face, "In any case, don’t blame external factors. Keep striving to be your best. As for the coach, as long as you work hard, I’ll put in a good word for you."
Hearing this slight reassurance from Toure, Bony embraced him gratefully and walked away.
Toure watched Bony’s back and also sighed heavily: "Alas, everyone comes to me with their problems, and I haven’t even sorted out my contract renewal yet!"
Toure jumped high in place, leaping a meter, then quickly performed several high-knee movements.
Just from these few motions, he clearly felt his physical condition, especially his step frequency, had significantly regressed compared to when he first joined Manchester City in his youth.
Born in 1983, Toure is 32 years old this year.
At this age, he’d be considered a veteran in any team.
Next year, Toure’s contract will expire; this year is what athletes commonly refer to as the contract year.
Ever since transferring from Barcelona to Manchester City in 2010, carrying the honor of a triple crown winner, Toure has maintained a commendable competitive status, appearing in about 35 league games each season as the team’s absolute midfield mainstay.
However, last season he suffered an injury that left him out for two months, causing him to only appear in 29 league matches.
Although upon his return, Toure remained a crucial player, this injury served as a wake-up call: no one can stay young forever, and as age increases, competitive performance inevitably declines. This is supported by sports science.
At Toure’s age, leaving Manchester City and hoping to continue earning a high salary at a top club seems unlikely.
Therefore, both Toure and his agent are keen on securing a contract renewal with Manchester City, ideally for at least two more years.
Having dominated the football scene for years with abundant field experience, Toure knows well that staying long-term with a team depends not only on maintaining his competitive state but also on support from teammates and help within the locker room!
So last winter transfer window, when Dzeko indicated his desire to leave at the end of the season and Manchester City urgently needed to bolster their striker position, Toure, who had influence in managerial circles, recommended his Ivorian compatriot Bony to them.
Indeed, Toure played a significant role in facilitating Bony’s arrival at Manchester City!
Toure’s intention was simply to recruit a junior, bolster the status of the French Language Gang at Manchester City, and consequently strengthen his own position at Manchester City.
After Bony joined Manchester City and performed poorly, the management didn’t say much, but Toure, with a strong sense of pride, felt ashamed.
If, due to Tang Long’s excellent performance on the front line, Bony ends up permanently benched or even sold, it would be a severe slap in the face and might affect his contract renewal negotiations during the contract year.
Toure realized he couldn’t stand idly by; he needed to take action!
Bony’s issue is essentially his issue too, affecting the entire French Language Gang’s standing within the team.
At his age, he can’t afford to play muddle-headed football anymore; he must find a retreat for the future.