Former Arsenal Defender Kolo Toure Joins Brendan Rodgers' Coaching Staff at Celtic
Scottish Premiership side Celtic have announced that defender Kolo Toure will join their coaching staff after the 36-year-old was not offered a contract extension at the club at the end of last season.
The former Arsenal defender only featured 17 times for Brendan Rodgers' side last season but it appears the player made an impression at the club during his short spell in Scotland.
In a statement on the club's official website, Rodgers said: "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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Brendan Rodgers signed Toure last season, after signing the defender once before during the manager's time in charge of Liverpool. It is understood that Toure will assist Rodgers in first-team coaching as well as assisting the club's youth teams.
In an interview with Celtic TV, Toure said: "I couldn't be happier to be back at this great club. 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."
