Kolo Toure in running to become manager of EFL club after brother rejected them

Kolo Toure is in the running to become manager of EFL club Wigan Athletic in a shock appointment after is brother rejected them.

It’s reported that the Championship side’s owner Talal Al Hammad has flown into London to finalise the appointment of Toure who is currently a coach at Leicester City.

The Latics originally wanted former Manchester City and Barcelona footballer Yaya to take the job, but the younger Toure brother wanted to remain as a coach at Tottenham Hotspur.

After being rejected by Yaya Toure…

Wigan are now set to appoint Kolo Toure as their new manager.

(Via: @reluctantnicko)#WAFC pic.twitter.com/DZD2PGpTXQ

— The Second Tier (@secondtierpod) November 18, 2022

Kolo however is keen to become a manager after five years working as a coach.

If he were to make switch to the DW Stadium, he would become the first African international to ever manage in senior English football.

The former Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool defender has been coaching since he retired at the end of the 2016-17 season after a season at Celtic.

He remained at the Scottish giants as a technical assistant, before Brendan Rodgers brought him in at Leicester when he took over as manager of the Foxes.

Yaya hasn’t been in coaching for as long having two short spells at Ukrainian side Olimpik Donetsk and Russian Premier League club Akhmat Grozny during 2021.

He then took up a part-time at Tottenham for eight months while he worked towards his UEFA A Licence.

Yaya went on to become head coach of Tottenham’s Under-16’s side back in August and is set to stay on, while Kolo has a big task at hand if he were to become manager at the Latics.

They currently sit 22nd in the second tier table, and sacked previous boss Leam Richardson last week after an eight-game winless run.

Despite their poor form, it came as a surprise to some after his remarkable job taking the club administration and a League One battle back into the Championship.

Talal Al Hammad jetted into the UK early on Wednesday to be part of the process, which began immediately with the first round of interviews and Wigan Today claims around a dozen men made the final cut.

Talk of his imminent appointment is relatively premature, with ‘three or four’ candidates’ still under discussion.

It’s understood the criteria for the new incoming boss includes playing a positive brand of football, as well as understanding the budget, the club, the town and the culture.

WHAT THE ODDS SAYING:

Kolo Toure – 4/9
Neil Critchley – 5/2
Duncan Ferguson – 9/1
Steven Gerrard – 12/1
Aitor Karanka – 14/1
Shaun Maloney – 14/1

Twitter users reacted with Kolo Toure in the running to become manager of EFL club after his brother rejected them…

@samf012321: absolutely no point in sacking leam if kolo becomes manager. if you think he’ll play a positive attacking brand of football think again. he’s a defending coach… #wafc

@Jordan_wafcV2: After taking out Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp during a training exercise, Toure proceeded to plant a painful two-footed tackle on the French manager. Incredibly, this led to a long and successful career at Arsenal rather than banishment from the beautiful game. #kolo #wafc

@AdamONeillio: Sacking Leam Richardson to replace him for Kolo Toure will be up there in the top 5 worst decisions ever made by the club #wafc

@GaryPendlebury3: Some Wigan fans are just never happy!! We’re writing of a manager even before he’s been given the job! Rodgers doesn’t take Kolo from Celtic to Leicester as a coach if he’s no good! Let’s give him a chance and be positive for a change! #wafc

@DanWAFC03: If Kolo does get the job I’m sure he’ll get on the phone to his brother down at Spurs who might be able to secure us Alfie Devine on loan. That would be quite nice #wafc

@StandishTic:
“Sack him and get somebody else in”
“No, not him”
🙃🙃🙃 #wafc

@LucyLovesMJ: All over my Twitter is everyone complaining no matter who gets chosen. They’re not going to win with any of you lot 🤣 just give whoever gets it some support ffs 💙⚽️ #wafc

@Garycar9: Is anyone else underwhelmed at what appears to be a done deal in signing Kolo You’re? 😳 I know every manager has to start somewhere but not at my club, do hope it works out and I’ll defo be behind the team. #wafc

@dave321wafc: Some of our fanbase amaze me. Few games on champ manager and they know best! Just let the club choose the new manager rather than tagging the chairman in saying you best not appoint such and such 🤦🏻‍♂️ close twitter quick ffs 🤦🏻‍♂️ #wafc

@JoeWafc12: We literally have the perfect appointment in critchley right there , but we’re doing it the Wigan way #wafc

@lancstic: I’ve had to check the calendar to make sure I haven’t had a bang on the head and woken up on April’s Fools Day. Toure? Really? #wafc

@ItsLiamCooper: Kolo would either be genius or a complete disaster. Hoping for Critchley #wafc

@samf012321: critchley is so so perfect. i can’t help but feel this is going to end badly #wafc

@purpledamo: 10 game ban for anyone who does the kolo kolo kolo chant at the next game #wafc

@GaryOwen69: The sensible decision is surely Critchley, in our position the manager has got to have at least some experience at managing a club in the championship rather than this being the 1st job, it could work but more of a gamble for me as the 1st timers have zero track record. #wafc

@ScottJohnson24: Part of boosting the atmosphere at the DW. Yaya….. now kolo…. would be equivalent to will grigg song!!!

@martinjackson27: Would be happy with Toure to be fair! Good connections, premier league “coaching” experience and new to the mngment game (which will bring a determination to succeed) let’s trust the people who are paid to make the right decision and turn up every week to support the boys! #wafc

@shoveyxxx: We ain’t getting Pep or any other top class manager. We are going to have to appoint and hope it works out. He will have picked up plenty of experience at the clubs he’s been at. If he gets the job he’ll get my support 👏

@CentralWigan: Toure could well be a fantastic manager and player developer, we just don’t know enough at this point to judge. Worked with some of the best minds in football in his time

@DannyLannon: We can’t possibly have an opinion as we haven’t the foggiest what he’s like, but I do know he isn’t what we need right now.

@Leightonjj_: ‘i wouldn’t have sacked leam’ this ‘i wouldn’t have sacked leam that’ we where the worst team in england on form and it isn’t even like we played good football to compensate for it. whoever we appoint we need to get behind #wafc

@AlexSarwar20: Good to hear that #wafc are bringing in Kolo Toure. With the injuries to Kerr and Whatmough, we’re desperate for someone experienced to slot into that defence. Wait a minute…😳

@colingarner1: Not convinced Kolo is the right appointment,but I am convinced I will still support the club no matter what, yep I do moan, yep I tweet shit but it’s what us tics do isn’t it? It’s either a masterstroke or it’s gonna blow up in smoke, time will tell. #wafc

@anthonyhop1990: Toure getting the Wigan job is no worse that arteta getting the Arsenal job…. get behind the lad #upthetics #wafc

@mattlatics: Whoever the new manager is, get behind the team. In regards to Kolo Toure and fans complaining about his lack of experience, every manager has to start out somewhere. Neil Critchley didn’t have any experience before he became Blackpool manager and he was a success #wafc

@jakenich1999: Kolo Toure wins first game… He’s a genius. I’m at that stage beyond caring, as long as it’s not John Sheridan, get behind the club and stop being negative. #wafc