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Kolo Toure takes unexpected new job as he admits: ‘I couldn’t turn it down’
Kolo Toure has shared his delight at returning to Manchester City as an academy coach. The Ivorian played a key role in transforming the Citizens into the powerhouse they are now as a player, winning the FA Cup in 2011, as well as helping to the club to a first ever Premier League title in 2012. Toure spent four years at Manchester City between 2009 and 2013Getty Having already tasted league success with Arsenal, Toure then went on to join Liverpool and later Celtic, where he ultimately ended his career as a champion of Scotland in 2017. Since then, the former defender has set his sights on a career in coaching, first landing a role as an assistant within the Ivory Coast’s under-23s set-up. He went on to work under Brendan Rodgers as a first-team coach at Celtic, before following him to Leicester in 2019. Toure then got his big break in 2022 when he was appointed manager of Wigan, only to be sacked two months later with the club bottom of the Championship after failing to win a single game. But after 18 months away from the game, the 44-year-old made a return to the dugout last summer. Ahead of this season, it was announced that Toure would join former City captain Richard Dunne in the club’s academy coaching staff, working as an assistant with their under-18s. With nearly a year under his belt back at his former club, the Arsenal Invincible revealed he had jumped at the chance to return to Manchester. He told the Manchester Evening News: “I was looking to get back into a job and when the opportunity came and I spoke to Thomas [Krucken, City Academy Director] about an opportunity to come here, it was fantastic. “Especially working for the club I played for, I had a great time playing here. My connection to Man City has always been there because I worked with the loan players for a moment. “When the opportunity came I was very happy, it’s very important for me to stay in the game.” Toure managed just nine games in charge of Wigan before receiving his marching ordersGetty The former Ivory Coast international a three-time league champion from his spells at Arsenal, Man City and CelticGetty Detailing just how much the club means to him, Toure gushed as he mentioned the iconic chant supporters created for him and his brother, City icon Yaya, which is still sung today. He continued: “For Yaya and me I feel so happy. It means a lot after all these years the fans still remember me and my brother. “That’s why you come to a club, you have the glory and everything but when people remember you as a player and human being it’s really special.” After working almost exclusively in first-team environments since starting his coaching career, Toure admitted his latest experience developing young talent has improved him as a coach. And with 500 professional appearances, 102 of which came for City, it’s fair to say the two-time Premier League winner has plenty of knowledge to pass on to the current crop of youngsters. He said: “You can always improve yourself as a coach and it’s good to work with young players because you get to know the future players. GettyToure has enjoyed his reintroduction to coaching this season[/caption] “How they act, how they are, what they like, what they want from you. “That was a really important step for me, to keep getting the knowledge of the game, with my experience as an ex-football player and then as a coach. “It’s the right step to stay in the game and keep improving myself and enjoying football.” Toure has certainly had the desired impact in his first season at the City Football Academy, with his under-18s side on a 23-game winning run, with 12 clean sheets and only 13 goals conceded in this time. With a FA Youth Cup semi-final against Watford on the horizon tonight, the former Ivory Coast international will be hoping to mark his maiden campaign at the club with some silverware.
Kolo Toure has shared his delight at returning to Manchester City as an academy coach.
The Ivorian played a key role in transforming the Citizens into the powerhouse they are now as a player, winning the FA Cup in 2011, as well as helping to the club to a first ever Premier League title in 2012.
Having already tasted league success with Arsenal, Toure then went on to join Liverpool and later Celtic, where he ultimately ended his career as a champion of Scotland in 2017.
Since then, the former defender has set his sights on a career in coaching, first landing a role as an assistant within the Ivory Coast’s under-23s set-up.
He went on to work under Brendan Rodgers as a first-team coach at Celtic, before following him to Leicester in 2019.
Toure then got his big break in 2022 when he was appointed manager of Wigan, only to be sacked two months later with the club bottom of the Championship after failing to win a single game.
But after 18 months away from the game, the 44-year-old made a return to the dugout last summer.
Ahead of this season, it was announced that Toure would join former City captain Richard Dunne in the club’s academy coaching staff, working as an assistant with their under-18s.
With nearly a year under his belt back at his former club, the Arsenal Invincible revealed he had jumped at the chance to return to Manchester.
He told the Manchester Evening News: “I was looking to get back into a job and when the opportunity came and I spoke to Thomas [Krucken, City Academy Director] about an opportunity to come here, it was fantastic.
“Especially working for the club I played for, I had a great time playing here. My connection to Man City has always been there because I worked with the loan players for a moment.
“When the opportunity came I was very happy, it’s very important for me to stay in the game.”
Detailing just how much the club means to him, Toure gushed as he mentioned the iconic chant supporters created for him and his brother, City icon Yaya, which is still sung today.
He continued: “For Yaya and me I feel so happy. It means a lot after all these years the fans still remember me and my brother.
“That’s why you come to a club, you have the glory and everything but when people remember you as a player and human being it’s really special.”
After working almost exclusively in first-team environments since starting his coaching career, Toure admitted his latest experience developing young talent has improved him as a coach.
And with 500 professional appearances, 102 of which came for City, it’s fair to say the two-time Premier League winner has plenty of knowledge to pass on to the current crop of youngsters.
He said: “You can always improve yourself as a coach and it’s good to work with young players because you get to know the future players.
“How they act, how they are, what they like, what they want from you.
“That was a really important step for me, to keep getting the knowledge of the game, with my experience as an ex-football player and then as a coach.
“It’s the right step to stay in the game and keep improving myself and enjoying football.”
Toure has certainly had the desired impact in his first season at the City Football Academy, with his under-18s side on a 23-game winning run, with 12 clean sheets and only 13 goals conceded in this time.
With a FA Youth Cup semi-final against Watford on the horizon tonight, the former Ivory Coast international will be hoping to mark his maiden campaign at the club with some silverware.
