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Brendan Rodgers Believes That Kolo Toure’s Warrior Mentality Is Important For Celtic

Brendan Rodgers Believes That Kolo Toure’s Warrior Mentality Is Important For Celtic

Scottish club Celtic travel to Germany to face Borussia Monchengladbach in UEFA Champions League action on Tuesday night, and coach Brendan Rodgers is pleased to be able to count on the experience and mental strength of Ivorian defender Kolo Toure in upcoming matches.

The veteran was previously part of Rodgers’ Liverpool side, and the Northern Irish manager knows the 35-year-old well.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the crucial encounter, the former Liverpool manager made it clear that he was backing Toure to overcome his poor performance in the previous Champions League game against the Germans.

“Kolo is a true warrior and you don’t get to achieve what he has in the game at 35 without that strong mentality,” Rodgers said, according to the DailyMail.

“Any game I’ve ever had, especially away from home in tough places, he’s been one of the leading players. So if I need to call upon him he’ll be ready,” the coach added.

He then referenced Toure’s apology to fans after a poor display saw him at fault for two of the goals against Monchengladbach in the reverse fixture, in which Toure admitted that he was at fault.

“He was devastated after the [Borussia] game. He was man enough to stand up and say that. He will always give his best. It depends if he’s going to be fit or not and that’s the only reason there’s been changes in that position,” Rodgers added.

Toure has always been one of the toughest players physically and mentally, but at his age it is not easy to keep up with the rigours of both domestic and Champions League football.

His experience and influence on the youngsters in the squad is invaluable, especially on the training ground, but he needs to accept that he will have less playing time now than he had in previous seasons.

A groin injury will keep him from playing in Tuesday’s Champions League match, but Toure will no doubt return to the first team in upcoming matches.