Kolo Toure appointed as Ivory Coast assistant manager

Celtic assistant coach Kolo Toure  has joined the Ivory Coast coaching team as Marc Wilmots’ assistant.

Kolo Toure has joined the Ivory Coast coaching staff being led by Belgian manager Marc Wilmots who was appointed earlier this year after being sacked from his position as Belgium manager. Toure’s first match as assistant will be Friday’s 2018 World Cup qualifier against Mali.

The 36-year-old ex-international also holds coaching roles in the Ivory Coast national team for locally based players as well the national U-23 team participating in the Olympics qualifications.

The former defender will combine his Ivory Coast coaching roles with his role as Brendan Rodgers’ technical assistant in Celtic.

He commented on his new role saying: “Any club I’ve been all the managers have spoken to me about the next step and wanted me to be involved in the coaching.

“I love to speak to players and when I play I like to give advice: that is what I learned from players like Martin Keown, Sol Campbell, Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp.

“I can still ask their advice and speak to them because I’ve always had a good relationship with them and learned from all of them.

“I’ve also worked with top managers and I am so privileged to have worked with those guys and I still have contact with them.”

Toure has announced his retirement after winning the Scottish League with Celtic last year and has had a successful career playing with Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool.

His major honors include winning the English Premier League twice as well as winning the African Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast in 2015.