Former Wigan Athletic head coach Kolo Toure has admitted that he would love to return to management in the future despite his stint at the DW Stadium not going to plan.
The two-time Premier League winner and the only man in British history to partake in two invincible league seasons – at both Arsenal and Celtic – took over as Leam Richardson’s successor in the previous campaign with the club in a difficult position.
The retired Ivory Coast international had spent several successful years working on the backroom staff of Brendan Rodgers at Celtic and eventually Leicester City, winning countless league titles in Glasgow and an FA Cup at the King Power Stadium under the Northern Irishman.
Nevertheless, at the end of November 2022, Wigan Athletic revealed that Toure would be the club’s new head coach, boldly handing the former central defender a two-and-a-half-year deal with the side sitting in 22nd in the Championship.
🙌🏻 A brilliant first training session for new Latics manager, Kolo Tourè this afternoon…#wafc 🔵⚪️ #BELIEVE pic.twitter.com/C5MElbJIOG
— Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) November 30, 2022
While the hierarchy had plenty of hope that the risk taken by appointing Toure would pay off, his tenure in Greater Manchester was disastrous. The Ivorian was in charge for just nine games overall in which the Latics failed to pick up a single victory.
Just less than two months into his first managerial experience, Toure was relieved of his duties with Wigan sitting bottom of England’s second tier. Shaun Maloney was handed the reins in the aftermath of Toure’s departure and has held the job ever since.
Nevertheless, in his recent appearance on the High Performance Podcast, the 43-year-old admitted that he hasn’t been discouraged by his time at the DW Stadium and that he intends to get back into management [quotes via Wigan Today]:
“Unfortunately the strategy I used had not worked…I had a style of play in my head and I tried to implement that,” Toure said.
“But I learned that it’s not about you really, it’s about the players and what they are capable of doing.
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“I know that I have a lot to give to the game, I don’t want to sit at home and not give back what I have learned, not give my inspiration, not give my experiences.
“When I watch football matches, I try to analyse everything…I watch every single game, I have my notebook, trying to note if I was manager of one of the teams, what I would be telling my players.
“For me, football is not a job, it is a passion.”
Writer’s View
Toure couldn’t have taken over a more difficult job in the EFL than Wigan Athletic last season. Players found themselves receiving delayed wage payments and the club were deducted three points as a result, meaning relegation seemed likely from the get-go.
Nevertheless, he would have learned quite a lot about the realities of football management from his time in charge of the Latics and will be better for it at his next club, whether that be in England or abroad.
Deputy Head of Writing
