Yaya Toure, despite Patrick Vieira’s recent firing by Crystal Palace, is “quite hopeful” about having prospects in management.
When Vieira was replaced as the manager of the Eagles by 75-year-old Roy Hodgson until the conclusion of the season, Toure was unhappy to see his former Manchester City teammate lose his position.
The former Barcelona and City player paid respect to Vieira, whose firing left no black managers in the Premier League, during a Football Black List event.
“Patrick Vieira is a great person, and a great coach as well. I think it’s a sad part of it,” Toure said.
“It’s a concern because if you have 50 per cent of the black players playing Premier League, and maybe one or two per cent of managers or coaches are black, it’s quite strange.”
After quitting playing in 2019, Toure started coaching. He held temporary assistant positions with the teams Olimpik Donetsk of Ukraine and Akhmat Grozny of Russia before moving back to England in August to work for Tottenham’s academy.
He still has aspirations of one day holding the position of manager, and he is confident that he will have opportunity to do so.
“I think the Premier League and the FA are working hard to get it right, because for us it’s very important,” he said.
“And as well, for me, I can say, I’m confident, to be honest. I’m confident, I’m looking forward, I’m very positive [about] how the opportunities are going to come for me and I’m going to be ready for it.”
