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Kolo Toure has looked back on his season at Celtic, where the former Arsenal star helped the Hoops win an iconic domestic treble before ending his glittering career.
The 43-year-old spent the 2016-17 season at Parkhead after being signed via Brendan Rodgers, with whom he had played in the past at Liverpool. The former centre-back played a pivotal role in Celtic’s legendary three-win campaign. in which Rodgers’ team remained undefeated in the domestic season. The former Ivory Coast star was also involved in Parkhead’s memorable 5-1 win over bitter rivals Rangers, which set them up for a record-breaking campaign.
Touré also played a key role in Celtic’s Champions League qualifiers at the start of the season, but saw his playing time reduced after suffering a 2-0 organisational defeat to Borussia Mönchengladbach in October 2016. Touré would go on to make just five more appearances before opting. hang up his boots and sign with Rodgers’ coaching staff. Despite his brief spell in east Glasgow, the Ivorian has fond memories of his time at the club.
Speaking on the High Performance Podcast, he said: “Joining Celtic, I went there because of Brendan Rodgers. I follow Celtic a little bit, but not too much, I have to be honest. When I trained there, I wasn’t sure. What I’m going to see there, I went to the educational field, I see the people, I see the fans, it’s amazing.
“The fans are incredible. They love the club, they love the club. The festival between Celtic and Rangers rarely looks much like it. It’s religious, I’d say. They don’t love each other, they hate each other. one the other. .
Toure was then asked about his mentality before the games at Parkhead and also shared his reports on the fan base from supporters on both sides of the Old Firm. He added: “He wins games. Win football matches. Especially in Scotland. Make sure you win the title.
“Make sure you win each and every game you play against them. When I played, it was the first time Rangers were out of the relegation zone and we beat them 5-1. I played that match. It was intense, it was a smart game and we played well.
“At the end of the game, I was driving my car and I saw some police officers in the middle of the road. There were two teams of fans left and right, they were Rangers and Celtic fans who wanted to play each other. “I turned around temporarily and drove the wrong way. Yes, it’s amazing in Scotland. “
Toure admitted that it’s difficult to accept that his playing career at Celtic comes to an end: “It’s difficult when you feel like you’re wasting your strength. Because I’m a tough player and I used to win my game. I suffered the whole time. ” In the duels I suffered internally, I couldn’t stand the intensity of training, I was ahead of the young players and I hated it.
“I don’t forget the moment I retired. There was a game. We took a break after December and came back. I don’t forget a verbal exchange with Brendan and he asked me if I could play this. game. “
Touré also reiterates his role in helping a young member of the team get more opportunities. He said: “We had a young player, Dedryck Boyata, who was doing really well in education that week before the start of the second half of the season. I had to make sure I didn’t play this game, otherwise I would make the team lose. I don’t think I was at my full potential.
“I told the boss, ‘Play with this young player. ‘ As a human being, you want to know your limits. I learned at the time, let this guy play. He’s doing well in training, he’s fit, just give him that. Going back to Martin Keown, he supported me when I arrived at Arsenal. He never stopped me from ascending, and I thought I didn’t wish to stop this young man from ascending.
“I had a verbal exchange with Dedryck. I’m depressed because he doesn’t play. But I told him to stay calm. I was very fair to him and said, ‘Listen, I’m playing because the manager respects me a lot because of my expertise. But stay calm, you’re going to play. “