Kolo Toure's Celtic career got off to a bright beginning as he started seven consecutive games between joining the club in late July and mid-September.
It was not long following the 7-0 destruction by Barcelona that Toure fell out of favour. Jozo Šimunović and Erik Sviatchenko are now the preferred centre-back partnership.
The 35-year-old has made just five appearances for the club since that defeat to Barcelona in September.
Still, speaking to the Herald Scotland, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers explained how and why he cited Toure as an example for younger players at the club.
As Celtic's U20s sat having lunch, Rodgers requested they joining him in the gym to watch Toure putting in the extra effort which has aided him in managing to have such a lengthy career at the top.
I took the Under-20s and interrupted their lunch, which I apologised for. I said ‘sorry guys, listen, come with me a second’ and I took them into the gym. Who was in their doing his activation, doing his stretching, doing his work?
Kolo Toure. He’s 35 years of age. He could have been down the drive and away home but, a few hours after he’d finished training, he was in the gym on his own, stretching.
That’s what you need to do to be a top player. Body fat, body mass, looking after yourself, being a professional. It doesn’t start when you arrive at the training ground, it starts with your first waking moment. Then when you drive out, it doesn’t end. It’s a lifestyle. It’s right the way through. The guys that will play on until they’re 35 are the guys that have been looking after their body. If you have a brain to add to your brawn, then you’ll have a chance.
Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
