Yaya Toure is very positive about having opportunities in management despite seeing Patrick Vieira recently sacked by Crystal Palace.
Toure was disappointed to see his former Manchester City team-mate lose his role as manager of the Eagles, who replaced Vieira with 75-year-old Roy Hodgson until the end of the season.
Speaking at a Football Black List event, the former Barcelona and City midfielder paid tribute to Vieira, whose dismissal meant there are no black managers in the Premier League.
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.
Crystal Palace Football Club can confirm that Patrick Vieira has left his post as First Team Manager.
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC)
Toure has taken up coaching since retiring from playing in 2019, with short-term assistant roles at Ukrainian side Olimpik Donetsk and Russia s Akhmat Grozny, before returning to England to work for Tottenham s academy in August.
He has designs on becoming a manager himself one day, and still believes the opportunities will be there for him.
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.
