Citys Toure ready for more after Premier League glory

Last updated : 14 May 2012 By AFP

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 Sunday.

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.

"We proved all the players on the pitch wanted to fight for this club, to win something for this club, to be part of history for this club."

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.

"We thought the Premier League had gone. Thank God it all worked out for us. We got two goals in five minutes, it was absolutely unbelievable."

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

But former City striker and current 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 brand new stadium, we just needed to invest at the top end.

"We are lucky we have got the owners who have done that but they knew they had a strong base to build on. It is tremendous we have got the vision to have a long-term strategy, and you get the reward for that."

Source: AFP

Source: AFP