Yaya Toure takes first head-coach role at Slovan Bratislava after leaving Saudi Arabia post

Yaya Toure has been appointed head coach of Slovan Bratislava, ending his tenure as Saudi Arabia assistant manager under Georgios Donis just days before the World Cup gets underway. The move is the former Manchester City midfielder’s first foray into frontline management.

The 43-year-old Ivorian has held assistant and academy roles since hanging up his boots in 2019, including a spell at Standard Liege before joining the Saudi Arabia national team setup. At Slovan Bratislava, he will immediately face a competitive challenge: the Slovakian club enter the first qualifying round of Champions League qualification.

Toure is reported to be bringing in Darren O’Dea as his assistant. The former Swansea City coach has been without a club since leaving the Welsh side last season, where he served as Alan Sheehan’s No.2 and also took caretaker charge for several matches at the Liberty Stadium.

Toure had signalled his readiness to step up in a recent interview, while tempering expectations about where that might happen. “Some people are asking if I want to manage in the Premier League,” he said. “I said, no, I don’t see myself in that way. I see myself in development. I need to learn, I need to develop, I need to try. I’m a man who loves challenging himself.”

“I’ve been assistant for a few years with different clubs, different managers. Now I’m looking to become a manager.”

Toure made 316 appearances for Manchester City between 2010 and 2018, winning three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, three League Cups and a Super Cup during one of the most decorated spells in the club’s history.