#PL Stories- #KoloToure pinpoints #ArseneWenger challenge as the pivotal moment of his Arsenal career #ArsenalFC

Former Arsenal defender Kolo Toure says his slide-tackle on former boss Arsene Wenger during a trial period changed the course of his career. Toure went on to spend seven years with the Gunners, racking up more than 200 league appearances, but he arrived at the club as a mere trialist. During his trial, Toure held nothing back, putting in big challenges on first-team stars and even then manager Wenger, who was on the other end of a two-footed challenge from Toure. That's something that might have cost some players their chance of being signed, but that wasn't the case for Toure, who, in that moment, showed his new boss just how much desire he had to make it with the Gunners. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon8Cancel "I think that slide-tackle changed my career. It showed the manager just how much I wanted to be successful, and how much I wanted to become a professional footballer. That’s how he took it, anyway," Toure, now one of Brendan Rodgers' assistants at Leicester City, told FourFourTwo. "All the players were laughing and I was in shock! I thought they were going to get rid of me there and then. “But Arsene is an intelligent guy: he only saw a young African boy who was keen to impress him, and gave me that opportunity to express myself and show what I was capable of doing." Kolo Toure celebrates during the FA Cup Semi-Final match between Arsenal and Blackburn Rovers. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) Toure would go on to become an Invincible with Arsenal, but while he had every desire to make it to the very top, the success he achieved did catch him by surprise. "I had no idea. I was a young player at the club and it was a huge step up, but I took my chance," he added when asked if he felt the impact of Arsenal's success at the time. "I was playing every match like it was the last one for me, giving everything. To play for Arsenal at this time was a big, big thing, and I wanted to show that I was capable of coping with the challenge." Toure also spoke about the mentorship he received at Arsenal, pointing to former Gunners frontman Dennis Bergkamp as a key role model. Sign up to our Arsenal newsletter for the latest transfer news By signing up for our Arsenal newsletter, you will receive a once-daily email, focused around goings-on at Emirates Stadium. You won't miss a thing when it comes to the Gunners - you'll get all you need to know directly into your inbox. We'll also send out special newsletters with any big breaking news too. And with the January transfer window now open there's plenty of content to get your teeth into. How do you sign up? It's easy and only takes seconds. Simply type your email address into the box at the top of this article - or any article on the Arsenal section of football.london in fact - labelled 'Get the biggest daily stories by email' and click 'Subscribe'. And that's it, you're all set. If you decide later that you no longer wish to receive the emails, simply follow the unsubscribe link in one of the newsletters - but we don't think you'll want to. For more details, click here. "The older guys were incredible with me," the Ivorian continued. "I’ve played in many teams and at many clubs, but I’ll always remember that Arsenal team: big-game players, but great guys as well. I’ll never forget that. "I’ve found that the players who have achieved the most in their careers are actually some of the most humble. "My big brothers, I call them. Someone like Dennis Bergkamp: what a guy – so dedicated, and such a great role model every day to be the best you can be."