Ferguson exit cited as the key to club regaining title. Kompany warns next term will be harder than ever.
Yaya Toure hopes that Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement from Manchester United will swing the "balance" back to Manchester City. His captain, Vincent Kompany, predicted a very hard title race next season and added that City were "writing their own history".
Both senior figures in the Etihad dressing room paid tribute to the departing Ferguson but are clearly looking forward to next season's pursuit of the Premier League. "United is a great club and Ferguson is a big character at this club,'' said Toure. "He has built everything at United and the balance, I hope, will go to the City side now.
"We will see next year because there will be a lot of rivalry between Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and United [as well as City]. Tottenham is coming through and the Premier League is going to be very, very tough."
Kompany agreed, dismissing criticism of this season's standards having dipped. "Anyone who thinks the Premier League is going backwards is making a huge mistake,'' said the City centre-half. "Next season will be harder than ever. The fact that the English clubs were out so early in the Champions League has rallied everyone to show that we are better than that." He expected plenty of activity in the transfer market. "It will be a good summer for you [media] guys in the sense that a lot of clubs have to become better and a lot of clubs are hoping for a better season," added Kompany, who leads City out in tomorrow's (Saturday's) FA Cup final against Wigan Athletic.
Kompany lifted the Cup in 2011 but City's celebrations were overshadowed by United securing the Premier League. History could be repeating itself. "I have congratulated United for winning the league, credit is due to them,'' said Kompany.
"Sir Alex has done great things for football and for Manchester United - fair play to them but we are writing our own history. We can do that on Saturday again.''
It has been a frustrating season for City, whose defence of their hard-won title was poor, so Kompany and Toure are determined to end the term on a positive note. "Winning this cup would be an incredible achievement after everything that has happened,'' continued Kompany. "You can look back on the season and say this went wrong or that went wrong but in the future people will look back at the trophies you have won. The rest won't matter.'' Toure agreed, saying: "Every year is important because we want this to be a big club. We let the Premier League trophy go to United, but now we want to win this one. For us, this will be a very important trophy.
"It is very important to keep winning trophies and that is why I signed a new contract. I want to be part of the history of the club. We have already won some trophies. I hope there is going to be more, like the Champions League and the Premier League, like the FA Cup.''
Toure expressed how "sad" he was that his brother, Kolo, was leaving City. "In life you cannot be happy all the time and Kolo is a great man, a great personality and my big brother. Kolo was an important factor for me to come [to City]. He has always given me advice and he has told me not to worry, everything will be fine.''
Another City player, striker Edin Dzeko, has suggested he could be playing elsewhere next season.
The Bosnian international, who has scored 14 goals this season, has been the subject of speculation and, when asked if he could leave at the end of the season, he said: "We will see. Everything is open."
The 27 year-old, an unused substitute when City beat Stoke in the 2011 final, accepts he again may not start. He said: "I don't know. I don't think about that, but that's not important. It's important to win it."
Dzeko earned a tag of 'super sub' earlier this season after a spell of scoring goals off the bench. Six of his first seven came as a substitute. He said: "That's my job to score goals, if I come on after 60 minutes or if I start."
When asked if he dreamt of scoring the winner, he said: "I'm not sure about scoring the winner but I am dreaming of playing and winning the title."
