KOLO TOURE HAS officially announced his retirement from football.
The Ivorian defender, a two-time Premier League winner, was part of Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ side of 2003/04 and went on to spend a total of 14 years in English football with the Gunners, Manchester City and Liverpool before joining Celtic last summer.
36-year-old Toure has been a free agent since being released by the Scottish champions at the end of last season. However, while he may be hanging up his boots, Toure is returning to the Hoops as part of Brendan Rodgers’ coaching staff.
Becoming the club’s technical assistant, he will “be part of the club’s football management team, supporting on all first-team coaching matters, as well as using his knowledge, experience and expertise to assist across the club’s various youth levels”.
“I couldn’t be happier to be back at this great club,” Toure told Celtic TV. “This is a new chapter in my career, a new beginning. The football is over now. I can officially say I am retired from playing and now I am fully concentrating on coaching.
“For me there is no big change in terms of what I will be doing. I have always been the kind of player who tries to help those around me.
“Now I will try to give advice, help the young players and just guide them and pass on all the experience I have acquired during my career.
“I can learn so much from working with Brendan Rodgers, he is a top manager. I will be working with him and his staff very closely each day.
He is one of the best young managers in the world right now. What he’s doing for Celtic is there for all to see, he’s doing amazingly right now.”
Rodgers added: “This is great news for Celtic that we are able to bring a man of Kolo’s experience into our coaching team. In everything he does, he is quite simply a fantastic example to anyone.
“He has worked at the top of the game for so many years and he has all the qualities which any player of any age should aspire to. He is a fantastic role model for our younger players and someone who has a level of experience and knowledge which can only be invaluable to our established players.”
“We are delighted that we will benefit from this experience and I know will make a real contribution to the club in this role.”
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