AS A TRIALIST, HE TOOK OUT ARSENE WENGER WITH A TWO-FOOTED TACKLE THEN BURST INTO TEARS. BUT IT WON HIM AN ARSENAL CONTRACT

IT IS important to make a good first impression and yesterday Kolo Toure spoke eloquently about what he hopes to achieve while being a Celtic player as he recalled his successful days at Arsenal. But a revealing picture of his determined character can be found in the pages of the book

Arsene Wenger, written by journalist John Cross. It recalls the time Toure was on trial at Arsenal and under the watchful gaze of Wenger during a training session. Midfielder Ray Parlour takes up the story: ‘The ball was rolled into Thierry Henry and Kolo Toure, from nowhere, smashed him from behind. It was a terrible tackle, a red card in a normal game. ‘Wenger was shouting: “Kolo what are you doing? Don’t tackle!”. ‘The next minute the ball was into Dennis Bergkamp and Kolo did exactly the same thing.’ With two of their best players now floored by the trialist, Frenchman Wenger pleaded again for an end to the tackling. ‘We went again,’ Parlour continues. ‘This time Kolo made a great tackle, the ball went up in the air and landed right at Arsene Wenger’s feet. ‘He was on the pitch watching training. ‘So next thing you know, Kolo took him out with a two-footed tackle. All you could hear was Wenger (left) screaming. ‘He had to go back to the medical room and the trialist had taken out Henry, Bergkamp and the manager. ‘Kolo was nearly in tears, his big day ruined. ‘I went into the medical room and there was Arsene Wenger with an ice pack on his ankle. ‘I said: “I don’t think he meant it”. ‘He told me there and then: “We’re signing him tomorrow. I like his desire”.’