Côte d'Ivoire coach Francois Zahoui has rejected Sheikh Yer Man City's request to play Yaya and Kolo Toure in Sunday's Manchester derby in the FA Cup. 'Clubs know the rules,' Zahoui told BBC Africa. 'I'm expecting them [the Toures] for the FIFA deadline.' Under FIFA rules, players can be called up two weeks before the start of the Africa Cup of Nations on 21 January. City had hoped the Toure brothers would be able to play against United before joining the Ivorian training camp. 'The national team in Côte d'Ivoire is led by people who are well educated and I was surprised that people in England think that we don't know the FIFA rules about dates,' Zahoui said, rather patronisingly. Zahoui has insisted they report for a meeting in Paris on Saturday before flying out with the rest of the squad to Abu Dhabi for a two-week training camp. 'Here, when we call-up the players, they are obliged to turn up at the date indicated by FIFA. So when we call them up we know that the clubs need to let them go.' Zahoui said he had travelled to England to discuss the matter with Sheikh Yer Man City boss Roberto Mancini and The Arse manager Arsene Wenger, who will lose Gervinho to the Côte d'Ivoire. 
Gervinho has made twenty four appearances for the La-Di-Dah Gunners this season since signing for ten and a half million smackers from Lille. 'I said to the managers, "Be careful because there's a great expectation here and we need our cohesion and we have our ten days together and we need a team spirit at our training camp,"' said Zahoui. 'Arsene Wenger was my coach [at Nancy in France] so we have a close, respectful relationship. But even with him I said that the head of the Ivorian federation won't mess about. Don't turn this into a stand-off. So our call-up day is 7 January. I hope and pray they respect this date and that there's not a conflict between clubs and the federation.' The Toure brothers are pivotal players for Sheikh Yer Man City and started the 3-0 Premier League victory over Liverpool on Tuesday. Yaya, whose powerful drives from midfield are a feature of City's attacking play, scored the winner in both the FA Cup semi-final and final last season, and has six goals in his last thirteen games. Kolo has displaced Joleon Lescott at the heart of City's defence since returning from a six-month ban for failing a drugs test. Mancini, whose side host The Scum in a third-round clash on Sunday, said the absence of both players will leave City stretched. Gareth Barry is suspended, fellow midfielder Owen Hargreaves is not considered fit enough, while striker Mario Balotelli is troubled by an ankle injury. 'We have seventeen players,' whinged Mancini. 'I do not know how it is going to work. I always said we could have a problem in January. In midfield, we have a big problem. On Sunday, we only have James Milner and Nigel de Jong available.' Well, you've got one of the richest men on the planet for an owner, mate, get him to put his hand in his pocket. Zahoui's tough stance will also affect yer actual Keith Telly Topping's beloved Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote and Moscow Chelski FC forwards Didier Drobga and Salomon Kalou, who will all miss FA Cup third-round ties this weekend. Tiote has been central to The Magpies impressive Premier League season - they're currently in seventh place with thirty three points from twenty games - starring in the hugely satisfying 3-0 victory over The Scum on Wednesday night. The Magpies are also losing in-form Demba Ba to Senegal. Drogba and Kalou have scored nine goals between them for Moscow Chelski FC this season. The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations includes sixteen teams competing in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea between 21 January and 12 February.
Gervinho has made twenty four appearances for the La-Di-Dah Gunners this season since signing for ten and a half million smackers from Lille. 'I said to the managers, "Be careful because there's a great expectation here and we need our cohesion and we have our ten days together and we need a team spirit at our training camp,"' said Zahoui. 'Arsene Wenger was my coach [at Nancy in France] so we have a close, respectful relationship. But even with him I said that the head of the Ivorian federation won't mess about. Don't turn this into a stand-off. So our call-up day is 7 January. I hope and pray they respect this date and that there's not a conflict between clubs and the federation.' The Toure brothers are pivotal players for Sheikh Yer Man City and started the 3-0 Premier League victory over Liverpool on Tuesday. Yaya, whose powerful drives from midfield are a feature of City's attacking play, scored the winner in both the FA Cup semi-final and final last season, and has six goals in his last thirteen games. Kolo has displaced Joleon Lescott at the heart of City's defence since returning from a six-month ban for failing a drugs test. Mancini, whose side host The Scum in a third-round clash on Sunday, said the absence of both players will leave City stretched. Gareth Barry is suspended, fellow midfielder Owen Hargreaves is not considered fit enough, while striker Mario Balotelli is troubled by an ankle injury. 'We have seventeen players,' whinged Mancini. 'I do not know how it is going to work. I always said we could have a problem in January. In midfield, we have a big problem. On Sunday, we only have James Milner and Nigel de Jong available.' Well, you've got one of the richest men on the planet for an owner, mate, get him to put his hand in his pocket. Zahoui's tough stance will also affect yer actual Keith Telly Topping's beloved Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote and Moscow Chelski FC forwards Didier Drobga and Salomon Kalou, who will all miss FA Cup third-round ties this weekend. Tiote has been central to The Magpies impressive Premier League season - they're currently in seventh place with thirty three points from twenty games - starring in the hugely satisfying 3-0 victory over The Scum on Wednesday night. The Magpies are also losing in-form Demba Ba to Senegal. Drogba and Kalou have scored nine goals between them for Moscow Chelski FC this season. The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations includes sixteen teams competing in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea between 21 January and 12 February.
