Kolo Toure reveals Wenger, Mancini and Rodgers predicted he will be a manager 

New Wigan Athletic boss Kolo Toure revealed that each of his former managers predicted he was destined to become a No 1.

Toure's first step into management is the tough task of preserving Wigan's status in the Championship, which starts at Millwall on Saturday.

The 41-year-old, who played under Arsene Wenger at Arsenal and Roberto Mancini at Manchester City, has spent the last five seasons learning his coaching trade by assisting Brendan Rodgers at Celtic and Leicester.

'It's strange but every manager I've worked with, they all told me, 'You're going to be a manager one day'. It was incredible,' Toure said. 'I started my coaching badges in 2014 when I was playing at Liverpool.

'I'm quite vocal, I tried to help my team and management was the feeling I had for a long time. When I finished my career, I never stopped.

'I learned all the skills you need to be a manager. I'm not here to promise anything. I'm here to work. My work will talk for me.' 

Toure's appointment has provoked some criticism by detractors who claim the Ivorian — whose brother Yaya was also linked with the vacancy — is too inexperienced for a relegation battle.

The former defender, who won two Premier League titles during his playing career, maintained he understood the scepticism, but plans to draw on man-management traits from Wenger and Rodgers.

'You need to love the players,' he added. 'You need to like them.

'You need to make them feel important. They are human beings. The closer you keep them, the more respect you give them, the more they can give you.

'This is very important. Arsene Wenger was unbelievable at managing people.

'Critics are normal, if any club appoints a new manager as his first job. Not just me.

'I understand it. It's no problem. My job now is to show that the club was right.'