In just over a week Eoghan and Kolo have become the best of buddies.
A year ago O’Connell was trying to make the breakthrough at Celtic while keeping an eye on his boyhood English side Liverpool, managed by Brendan Rodgers.
Tonight all three will be together as Celtic attempt to see off Motherwell in the Betfred Cup with other much bigger targets to come with the group stage of the Champions League a priority.
“Kolo’s already been very good to me,” O’Connell admitted. “He’s just come in, but I’m learning from him already, in terms of on and off the pitch.
“I’m talking about things like looking after yourself off the pitch because he has been around for such a long time. He knows what to do.
“On the pitch, his communication is great. He’s great to have around. Before the Hearts game he got us all together and just said ‘We all have to work together’. It was everything we know, but he was re-enforcing it.
“He is experienced and it is great to have a communicator like that. He’s played at the highest level for a long time and it’s great for us to be able to learn from him.”
The unlikely combination of O’Connell and Toure first came together during the second half of Celtic’s Champions League win over Astana and continued at Tynecastle on Sunday.
With Hapoel Beer Sheva arriving at Celtic Park in seven days time it seems likely that the Irishman and the Ivorian will be given the task of keeping the door closed to take Celtic through to the riches of the Champions League.
CLICK HERE for Brendan’s 4-4-2 to beat Motherwell.
