Former Arsenal and Liverpool defender Kolo Toure takes up Celtic coaching role

New Delhi, Sep 17: Former Arsenal and Liverpool defender have announced that retired Ivorian international Kolo Toure has joined the Celtic's coaching staff as a Technical Assistant from this season.

The 36-year-old made 17 appearances for Celtic last season before ending his playing career to focus on coaching.

The Scottish Premier League champions declared that the defender will now help in the club's training schedule for the first team and will help them with his insight and skill overall young levels also.

The defender was also joined as an assistant coach of Ivory Coast Olympic team and now will additionally help Brendan Rodgers in managing the young academy players.

Quoted on the club's official website, 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."

The 36-year-old also had been learning the Coaching knowledge since the last year and suggested that working with his former Liverpool boss Rodgers is improving his experience.

"I can learn so much from working with Brendan Rodgers, he is a top manager,'' he said. "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."

Kolo retired from all kind of football last summer after winning his second invincible title last season with Celtic after acquiring the same with Arsenal in 2002 and his vast experience of the game will now surely help the new generation of the Hoops for betterment a better future.