Kolo Toure named assistant manager of Cote d’Ivoire

Kolo Toure has been appointed as an assistant coach to the Cote d’Ivoire national team. The former Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City defender will work under ex-Belgium coach Marc Wilmots, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) has announced.

He was already an assistant manager at the last club he played for, Celtic. He hung his boot earlier in September 2017 after a year with the Scottish side where he teamed up with his former manager, Brendan Rodgers.

Toure won the Scottish league with the side in an unbeaten 2016/2017 season. It was his second unbeaten league run after a similar one with Arsenal 2003/2004 season. In both cases, he played 38 straight games without defeat.

The 36-year-old defender has a wealth of experience, having played in the English Premier League with three high flying clubs, winning two league titles and three FA Cups.

Toure, born in the northern Ivorian city of Bouake, has been capped 118 times by the Ivorian national team and is the second most capped national player. He represented the team at three successive World Cups (Germany 2006, South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014).

Toure has also played at seven Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) between 2002 and His brother Yaya, the Manchester City midfielder, tweeted in reaction: ‘Very happy to see my big bro Kolo is Cote d’Ivoire assistant coach. Excellent.’

Kola Tella

 

Check Also

When the Lion Roars: Lionel Messi’s tussle with Barcelona

Yemi Babalola* writes on the ongoing tussle between Lionel Messi and Barcelona on the star …