
BRENDAN RODGERS is set to offer Kolo Toure a coaching role to keep him at Celtic beyond the summer.
The Parkhead manager is eager to continue to work with the Ivory Coast international after he was brought in at the start of the season to bring experience to the squad.
Toure, who penned a one-year deal with the Ladbrokes Premiership champions, has won an African Cup of Nations, three FA Cups and two Premier League titles â including as part of Arsenalâs Invincibles side â to name but a few.
He has only featured 13 times since coming up to Glasgow but Rodgers has seen more than enough of his contribution elsewhere to want to keep him at the club.
âYeah, absolutely,â said the Celtic manager. âItâs something weâll talk about at some stage between now and the end of the season. Thereâs no doubt about that.
âI brought him for a number of reasons and one of them of course was playing. I thought to bring him in to help us get through to the Champions League. That mentality, and the experience of what it takes to get there was going to be important.
âThereâs also other reasons why I brought him here like that influence in the changing room. And that doesnât have to end after this season.
âHeâs a good guy and I like to help good people. I want to work with him and itâs something him and I will talk about between now and the end of the season.â
Toureâs stature in the game has offered him instant respect in the Celtic camp according to his manager, a fact that has been noticed by the likes of Scott Brown in and around Lennoxtown.
It is a leadership quality that the Northern Irishman was well aware of when their paths crossed previously at Liverpool.
"When I took Kolo to Liverpool he helped with that seniority over the players. It was the same idea coming here. He knew he was probably getting towards the end of his career as a player,â he said.
âHe can still play of course and itâs more difficult for him if heâs out the team for a while.
âWhen he was at Liverpool I put him on his journey of coaching. We started him on his badges and heâs just completed his B Licence. He sees himself going down that route. For him, heâs been invaluable.
âBrowny will probably tell you the help heâs been. When he came in Browny was the leader and maybe not so many others around him. But Kolo came in and straight away heâs a man with big experiences who is a good communicator. Heâs good with the young players, he has empathy for them and wants to help them. He always helps the manager.
âEven though he hasnât played so much his influence in the changing room is huge because of what he passes on to Dembele and these guys just starting out on their careers, especially the foreign boys.
âThe Dembeles of this world now look at a guy at 35 who has been a big player and won big titles, played at World Cups. Heâs a real major influence for them.
âHis role hasnât diminished even if heâs not playing as much. Heâs still very important to us.â
A lack of match time may be seen as a stumbling block for many players of Toureâs age and stature as they seek to prolong their game time, but Rodgers is confident the Ivorianâs instant love for Celtic will make him want to stick around.
âHe certainly loves it,â he said. âHis family have all moved up and theyâve all settled in well. You donât make that commitment if you donât think itâs going to be for longer than what his contract was.
âHe knows heâs at a big club in Celtic. Itâs only when you come into it you realise just how big it is.
âOf course, heâll enjoy like the rest of us the pressure and expectancy around Celtic to win. When youâve worked at a big level thatâs what you want and he has that at Celtic.â
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