Look up Taanis 20b, story of R Eliezer b Shimon not responding and insulting some ugly ruffian – because he was so happy from his learning. The ugly person (possible Eliyahu ] refuses to forgive, and then gives several interesting statements to people who came to great the Rov:
– if he is your rabi, there should not be more (rabo) like this in Israel
– I’ll forgive him for your sake
– on the condition, he should not become accustomed to talk like this
It seem that he clearly does not want many teachers like that (even as R Eliezer was begging for forgiveness) but is going to compromise so that whole town will be without a teacher. He also hopes for gradual improvement in middos, not complete.