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    Thursday, February 11, 2021

    Yaya Toure Joins Coaching Staff at Olimpik Donetsk

    Yaya Toure has embarked on his management career by joining the coaching staff of Ukrainian side Olimpik Donetsk.

    Toure, 37, has been working towards his coaching qualifications and recently spent time with Championship clubs Queens Park Rangers and Blackburn Rovers learning the trade.

    The former Barcelona and Manchester City midfielder enjoyed a glittering playing career and last played for Chinese Super League side Qingdao Huanghai.

    Towards the start of his playing days, Toure spent one-and-a-half seasons with Metalurh Donetsk - which went bankrupt in 2015 - and his coaching role sees him return to the Ukrainian city.

    "I started my professional career in Donetsk – now I am here to start my coaching path," Toure told Olimpik Donetsk's official website.

    "Of course I know that Olimpik is not Metalurh, but I remember well how friendly and open the people of Donetsk were. I am very impressed by the local people.

    "To be honest, even my agent was surprised when he found out I wanted to learn to 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, and where you will be accepted as a friend."

    Toure, who will work under head coach Igor Klimovsky, added: "I am confident I can be useful for the Olimpik players, as a professional and a friend.

    "To suggest something, share your knowledge and vision of football."

    Toure made over 100 appearances for the Ivory Coast, lifting the Africa Cup of Nations in 2015, and won six major honours during an eight-season stint with Manchester City.

    It was speculated he would retire from playing to begin his coaching career in early 2019, but Toure insisted he would like to play for "a few more years".

    He left Qingdao Huanghai at the start of 2020 and trained with Leyton Orient that summer, but it now appears he has begun a new chapter of his footballing career.

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