Former Reds defender Kolo Toure has admitted that Jurgen Klopp requested him to remain as a coach at Liverpool shortly earlier than his departure in 2016.
The Ivorian left Anfield on the finish of Klopp’s first season in cost on the membership having made 71 appearances in three seasons on the membership.
He turned a well-liked determine amongst supporters throughout his time on Merseyside and performed a key function within the Reds’ journey to the Europa League ultimate in Basel, beginning within the ultimate in opposition to Sevilla.
In a current interview, Toure mirrored on his time at Liverpool and revealed that the present boss supplied him the prospect to stay on the membership in a training capability.
“I spoke to Jurgen and he informed me my contract wasn’t going to be renewed – however he did, nonetheless, need me as a coach in his backroom staff,” Toure informed the membership’s official web site.
“That was large for me. I feel I used to be in Africa when he made the decision, ‘Kolo, we need to preserve you however I need you in my teaching workers.’ I informed him I wanted to consider it.”
Klopp’s hopes of preserving Toure’s affect across the membership in a training capability present an indication of his willingness to maintain skilled gamers on the membership past their enjoying days.
It’s maybe additional proof of one other newer alternative missed as James Milner seems set to depart Liverpool on a free this summer time.
Whereas extraordinarily grateful for the chance, Toure wasn’t fairly prepared to hold up his boots and as an alternative went on to complete his enjoying profession in Scotland at Celtic.
It was finally one other of Toure’s managers at Liverpool who ended up tempting him away from Anfield.
“Having the chance to work with him as a coach was immense – it was going to be improbable for me,” he continued.
“However on the similar time, I used to be speaking with Brendan at Celtic as properly. Brendan was providing me yet one more yr as a participant. It was a tough choice to make, very arduous.
“Liverpool was an ideal place for me. With the depth of the sport and my character, all of it match very well. However finally, I wished to play yet one more yr after which simply see what got here after that.”
The previous centre-back went on to work as a technical assistant at Celtic following his retirement, later taking the assistant supervisor’s place at Leicester and turning into supervisor of Wigan – albeit for solely 59 days!
Toure has additionally hung out as assistant supervisor of Ivory Coast having began his worldwide teaching profession working with the under-23s.
