Published 13:29 IST, February 11th 2021
Yaya Toure appointed Olympic Donetsk coach, shocks his own agent with the move
Man City legend Yaya Toure has been appointed as the coach of Ukrainian outfit Olympic Donetsk, leaving his own agent shocked with the decision.
- SportFit
- 3 min read
Manchester City legend Yaya Toure brought an end to his decorated career only last year when he played his final game with Chinese Super League outfit Qingdao Huanghai. And shortly within a year of staying away from the field, he has now taken up the top job at Ukrainian side Olympic Donetsk. Confirming the same, Toure has revealed that his agent was left shocked with his recent decision to venture into team coaching.
Yaya Toure confirms role as Olympic Donetsk coach
Toure took to Twitter to confirm that he has been appointed the coach by Olympic Donetsk. He appreciated the club's efforts in extending him a warm welcome on his return to Ukraine. Interestingly, Toure played for Metalurh Donetsk, a club which no longer exists, during the early stages of his football career.
The Man City legend claimed he was very eager on passing on his footballing knowledge and helping the team from the sidelines. He also acknowledged the support he received over the past year in bagging the relevant coaching qualifications, particularly mentioning the likes of Chris Ramsey at Queens Park Rangers (QPR), Stuart Jones at Blackburn Rovers and Geoff Lomax at PFA.
Yaya Toure's agent shocked at his coaching decision
During his interaction with Olympic Donetsk's website, the former Ivorian footballer claimed his agent was baffled by his decision. "To be honest, even my agent was surprised when he found out that I wanted to study to be a coach in Ukraine, but I was firm in my decision. It is not so easy to find a place where you can calmly, without unnecessary pressure, study, where you will be accepted as a friend."
He acknowledges the fact that he began his professional playing career at Donetsk and it's even more astonishing that his management career kickstarts in the same city. He well understands that Olympic isn't the same as Metalurh, but he has been ever fascinated by the friendliness of the city inhabitants.
Yaya Toure stats with Barcelona, Man City
Yaya Toure spent a fruitful three seasons with Barcelona, which saw him get his hands on two LaLiga titles, besides the Champions League glory in 2009. He then went on to join Man City, enjoying an eight-season stint, including under Pep Guardiola. He clinched three Premier League titles during his time at the Etihad, before switching to China.
Image courtesy: Yaya Toure Twitter
Updated 13:29 IST, February 11th 2021