Carminati was invited to work with the Ivory Coast during the finals by manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who also involved him with the England squad for the 2002 and 2006 tournaments.
And that meant Carminati, regarded as one of the finest conditioners on the planet, was perfectly placed to get a close-up of the £24m buy from Barcelona – and he thinks Yaya will be a big hit for the Blues, on the field and off it.
“He’s a nice guy and a nice player, always very positive and smiling,” said Carminati, one of manager Roberto Mancini’s closest friends and confidantes.
“He is also very professional. He trains very hard, but keeps smiling throughout. He is a tall guy, very clever from a tactical point of view, and a very good new player for us. He is an athlete with good stamina, is physically strong, strong in the air and has a powerful shot. He is also the kind of player who seems to arrive in the right place at the right moment.
“He has a good feel for the ball, as well as being a real runner, and you need this kind of player at this level.”
Carminati was, on the quiet, City’s 12th man in South Africa, with 11 players out there representing their country, while he seized the chance to link up with Eriksson again, even though it meant he only grabbed one week’s holiday before reporting back for City’s pre-season training this week.
Now he is juggling the task of assessing the differing needs of the City players, from Michael Johnson – still around a month short of being able to work at the same level as the main group – to Jerome Boateng, David Silva, Carlos Tevez and Nigel de Jong, who will all report back less than two weeks before the start of the season.
His task is to ensure that City’s meatier squad begins the season bristling with energy and hunger. And he says that the World Cup brings its own problems, and that they are problems which the public at large often misunderstands.
Claims that players at the finals suffer from fatigue are often met with snorts of derision, that playing 90 minutes of football every three or four days can be so tiring.
But Carminati says that mental tiredness, stress and pressure of carrying the expectation of a nation is far worse than any physical demand.
“The World Cup is a physical test but it is more of a mental test,” he said.
“From a psychological point of view you expend a lot and have to recharge your batteries before the new season. It is more of a mental test, especially for those who play in the quarter and semi-finals. It is very demanding.
“You have the whole nation carried on your back, with the pressure of the media, the pressure of your family, of the player himself and his teammates.
“And it all comes at the end of the season. Most of them play for big clubs and take part in things like the Champions League as well as domestic leagues.
“It is not just about playing 90 minutes of football – you have to add on the pressure, the travel and everything else. Footballers are human, and have good days and bad days, and it is not always easy to manage that.
“People who want you to play every three days and be the best player in the world should know it’s not possible to be on top form every three days.”
Carminati and his staff will help to pick up the shattered England players when they return to the grindstone of Premier League life.
But every player has to be treated individually, and each has been given a detailed assessment of what is expected of them during the summer break, from a diet and fitness angle.
The Blues head off for their pre-season training camp at the Nike headquarters in Portland tomorrow – and World Cup stragglers will start to join them while they are there.
“We don’t have a lot of players in at the moment, because a lot are on holiday and we still have some in the World Cup,” said Carminati.
“That makes it a hard job, because every player has a different situation.
“Some players have had 50 days of holiday, others will get just three weeks, but we want them all at the same level by the beginning of the season.
“We have some players joining us in Oregon, like the Toure brothers, then the English players will meet up with us in New York, and those players who have played in the semi-finals, and Carlos Tevez, will join us at the end of July and beginning of August.
“From a physical point of view when you have only three weeks of holiday you don’t lose much fitness, but you need to recharge your batteries from a mental point of view.” Tweet
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It's a mouthwatering prospect for all City fans. Players of the international calibre of Yaya Toure, David Silva and Jerome Boateng will give give a massive boost to our squad - giving fierce competition for places. This is just what we need. In the past we've had to utilize toom much of the 'versatility' abilities of players such as Vincent Kompany. It does sound as though Yaya is a really thorough professional and cheerful guy to have around the dressing room. I'm not convinced though, that Ibrahimavic is what we need. From all accounts (could be wrong) he only gives 100% when he feels like it. I think we've had more than our share of players with that attitude. Maybe we should be aiming for the players 'hungry' for success (such as the Serbian striker from Wolfsberg). Anyway it's all very exciting for blues fans as the new season approaches and the superb new squad gathers momentum.
Why don't City look to certain players to be fit to play for Manchester City in the start of September/Mid september and play players that have not been playing at the world cup,so that they can fully recover.
Bad Dave - before you come on here - do one - you're a naughty boy - put your dummy in and do your history homework before spouting drivel
Can't wait...bring it on. Tick Tock
I'm sure that Carminati must be wrong. Why, only the other day the Daily Star was telling us that Ya Ya was "quite a good player but certainly no more" and that he was ruining Stevie Ireland's career by coming to City. In fact, it went on to say that the England team's problems were all of City's making, because the club is trying to squeeze out SWP to make way for another expensive and highly paid, but inferior foreigner (David Silva?). Oh, how much damage can one club do in two weeks!
Yaya Toure is a considerably better player than the English press are making out and they will have that rubbed in their faces when they find out how good he actually is. He'll make Marc Vivien Foe look mundane by comparison and he was quite the best box to box midfielder we have had at the club for years!
Must be a record for City, first thing yoyo said when he arrived,
'can't wait to get back to barca'
If the problem with England at the world cup was mental fatigue, then it's no wonder they performed so badly.
Most of those players (some ginger bonced players more than others) would find it a strain mentally dealing with the velcro strip on their shoes, so being asked to think outside their normal football routine was always going to be taxing!
I think finally we have someone in the team that can do the thing Marc Vivien Foe did for us. He'll be box to box like he was before he went to Barca not just sitting in front of the defence. big presence at set pieces at both ends as well.
I love it...even our conditioning coach is one of the best.....and what he has to say about Yaya is very positive....
I reckon that Yaya's presence will improve Kolo and if that happens then we will be very strong in defence with Boateng/Kolo/Jolo/Vinny my first choice back four with Ned/Micah/Zab/Bridge all as back up......
I reckon Yaya's presence will improve Nigel,Gareth,Superman,Magic and Patrick....
I reckon Silva's presence will improve Adam/Bellers/SWP and Vlad...
Now we need another striker.....to do the same.
Mr mencil, at least he got here, the first thing Wesley Sneider said re: yoonited was No Thanks, which is becoming increasingly the norm where your transfer targets are concerned. Unless of course you count nomarks like Little Poo and Chris Fulham Reserve Smalling
Think this might turn out to be the signing of the summer. Don't think he will be used as a holding midfielder, although he may in certain games but think he's the box to box midfielder we've been waiting for since Foe. Watched him closely in the World Cup and he barely misplaced a pass (you don't play for Barcelona if you can't pass) and he is not going to be knocked off the ball easily as some of our lightweight midfielders have in the past few seasons. Can't wait for the kick off. Tick Tock.
That was good stuff to hear from Carminati. I must say that YaYa does come across as a very intelligent guy. Once he meets the fans he wont want to go anywhere. That first home game at Eastlands is going to be a very big occasion and he'll see just what this club really is all about.
Andy Mencil (09/07/2010 at 12:21)
Must be a record for City, first thing yoyo said when he arrived,
'can't wait to get back to barca'
oh dear andy when was last time you signed a player from a major european team such as yaya or robbie long time if ever and never again will it happen for you wesley said that yoonited couldnt afford my wages never mind transfer fee haha
Lets hope we have found an inspirational Captain to lead us to Glory.
Misquote put out by the Rag infested press.
What he actually said was "can't wait to get back AT Barca"
Ya Ya you are very welcome to Manchester City. You have joined Manchester City ,so play
your heart out for this great club. In other words, let your effort equate your salary.
And forget about ever going back to Barcelona!!!!
He'll have to do a lot of work because soso carlos is giong to hit the wall big time.His game is to high octane and he's done it for a few years now for it not to take effect.
ERICS SEAGULL- deary me you sad rag, stop begging.
the real mark jones
Yep, he won't be doing the holding job. That will be left to Nigel "Kung Fu" De Jong. Not seen a challenge like that from a City player since the Sun Jihai days!