Toure’s Trial and Tribulations
When a 21-year old Kolo Toure arrived at Arsenal for a trial, Arsene Wenger had high hopes. But things didn’t exactly go to plan.
Ray Parlour recalled on Talksport:
They roll the ball to Thierry Henry and Kolo Toure – from nowhere – smashed him right from behind. Two footed tackle, terrible tackle. Seriously would’ve been a red card in a normal game. Our best player’s on the floor rolling around.
Arsene Wenger goes: “Kolo what are you doing, don’t tackle, don’t tackle.”
“Oh sorry,” he replied.
Next minute, ball goes into Dennis Bergkamp. Kolo Toure does the exact same thing, two-foots Dennis Bergkamp.
We’re thinking: “This is unbelievable. How can we win the league if our two best players have been taken out by a trialist. He must be working for someone else.
Wenger goes: “Alright that’s it. No more tackling.” And this is Arsene Wenger.
Kolo replies: “Yes, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry boss.”
Next ball comes in and he makes a great tackle Kolo Toure, and the ball spits up in the air. And Arsene Wenger is standing right in the middle.
The ball’s gone up in the air, and Kolo Toure’s watching the ball. And where did it land? Right at Arsene Wenger’s feet and he’s two-footed Arsene Wenger. Proper tackle, took him out.
All you heard was “ohhhh” and Wenger had to limp off to the medical room.
That afternoon I went to see Arsene about something and he had a big ice pack on his ankle.
I said: “Boss, I don’t think he meant to kick you like that.”
And he went: “What? Look at my ankle!”
And then he said: “I like his desire, we sign him tomorrow”.
Toure would go on to make over 300 appearances for Arsenal, and played in all but one of the Gunners’ Premier League games during the ‘Invincibles’ season of 2003/4.
