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 preferred determine amongst supporters throughout his time on Merseyside and performed a key function within the Reds’ journey to the Europa League last in Basel, beginning within the last towards Sevilla.
In a current interview, Toure mirrored on his time at Liverpool and revealed that the present boss provided him the possibility to stay on the membership in a training capability.
“I spoke to Jurgen and he instructed me my contract wasn’t going to be renewed – however he did, nonetheless, need me as a coach in his backroom group,” Toure instructed the membership’s official web site.
“That was huge for me. I feel I used to be in Africa when he made the decision, ‘Kolo, we need to maintain you however I would like you in my teaching employees.’ I instructed him I wanted to consider it.”
Klopp’s hopes of protecting 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 taking part in days.
It’s maybe additional proof of one other more moderen alternative missed as James Milner appears set to depart Liverpool on a free this summer season.
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 taking part in 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 implausible for me,” he continued.
“However on the identical time, I used to be speaking with Brendan at Celtic as properly. Brendan was providing me yet another 12 months as a participant. It was a tough choice to make, very exhausting.
“Liverpool was an awesome place for me. With the depth of the sport and my persona, all of it match very well. However finally, I wished to play yet another 12 months 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 less than 59 days!
Toure has additionally hung out as assistant supervisor of Ivory Coast having began his worldwide teaching profession working with the under-23s.
