Former Red Named Côte d’Ivoire Assistant Boss

Kolo Touré only (officially) retired from football last month, but the former Liverpool defender is already moving up in the post-playing world, combining a coaching role under Brendan Rodgers at Celtic and an assistant coach-ship under Marc Wilmots for Côte d’Ivoire.

Even though he’s in extremely high demand, the former Red isn’t leaving anything to luck and will be taking advice from pretty much everyone he played with over his long career.

"Any club I've been [at], all the managers have spoken to me about the next step and wanted me to be involved in the coaching,” Touré said. "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,” Touré added. "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.”

One of those top managers was former Reds boss Brendan Rodgers. Touré was on Rodgers’ Celtic team that won the Scottish title last season, unbeaten in all domestic competitions. Touré was asked to return to the club this season as a technical assistant, a role he will definitely thrive in.

The defender will return to (assistant) coach his national team — with whom he won the 2015 African Cup of Nations — in the October 6, 2017 match against Mali.