Joe Cole : "I'm happy here"

[abramovich]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/sport/art ... o=newsnow&

Unlike Drogba, Joe Cole has not felt the need to construct a post-Mourinho exit plan. Four-and-a-half years after moving to Chelsea from West Ham the England midfielder insisted that Stamford Bridge feels like his spiritual home.

After preparing for tonight's match, he said: 'I'm committed to Chelsea. I'll stay here for as long as they want me. The club is more than the manager, more than the players. This is a club I love and I'd like to be here a long time.

I had the captain's armband for 50 minutes against Aston Villa and that was a proud day. I supported the club, I was a ballboy here, I played for them and came through tough times at the start and made myself an important player. I was very proud to wear the armband.

'I do feel, sometimes, if you're the only Englishman out there, you have a connection with the fans. I've been one of them and I know what it's all about.

'There have been a lot of changes over the last five years here, so it's important to keep the things that make Chelsea Chelsea.

'There is a soul here and it riles me when people talk about Chelsea buying the League. I've never seen a pound note score a goal.'

Cole, 26, looks more comfortable playing under Grant, with a licence to pursue his natural attacking instincts and desire to entertain. 'It's probably closer to my own philosophy,' Cole said.

'English players get brought up with a cautious way of playing. It's inbred, we're taught not to take risks.

'Continental teams embrace taking risks. You don't want to be gung-ho but we need to take more risks as a team, not be so cautious, be more confident in our ability.'

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/ ... 149195.ece

Cole believes that retaining the Carling Cup would vindicate the new regime led by Grant. Chelsea have won the competition in two of the past three seasons, the first victory three years ago credited with sparking their run of success under Mourinho. “It’d be nice to kick-start the new regime with the first trophy on board,” Cole said. “It’s important for the team, the new manager and the new structure of the club.

“We had a turbulent time at the start of the season and Avram came in and steadied the ship. We’re still in touch with the leaders and the lads have taken to him. We’re improving every day. We’re trying to employ the tactics and style the manager wants. It’s about learning and adapting.

“The club are in a period of transition, but we’re winning games. A lot of clubs go years without winning trophies while this sort of thing happens, but we’re winning games and we’re happy.”

[ethicalstrategy]

Hmm. Sod's law. The player we need to keep wants to leave and the player we could afford to lose wants to stay!

Its not surprising that he's happy. He can do what he likes without worrying about getting a bollocking!

[mad_mac]

I say, good on Joe for saying what he has said. I like players to acknowledge that they are part of a club, and that the club is more important than any one player. I think Didi could learn a thing or two about this!

I don't think it is fair to be cinical by saying "of course Joe will say this, he's peripheral and only trying to secure his future.." How about, for one, we just take it as read that he does like playing for the club, and playing in a way that makes him happy!

[Gem]

'I've never seen a pound note score a goal' - what a great quote!

Hang on though... he wants to stay... he loves the club...

Must be about the contract eh? He can't be saying that because he feels that way. All about the pound notes is it Joey? Eh? EH?! Well... thats the reaction some players get... why should Joe be any different?

Long live King Joe, always nice to hear a player play the right tune... (need a Joe Cole smilie)

[ethicalstrategy]

I say, good on Joe for saying what he has said. I like players to acknowledge that they are part of a club, and that the club is more important than any one player. I think Didi could learn a thing or two about this!

I don't think it is fair to be cinical by saying "of course Joe will say this, he's peripheral and only trying to secure his future.." How about, for one, we just take it as read that he does like playing for the club, and playing in a way that makes him happy!

I do take it as read that he likes playing in the way that makes him happy. Unfortunately, that's his big problem. He needs to play in the way that is best for the team not just how he prefers. If he could understand that he would be a better player.

Interestingly, I don't recall a lot of clubs clamoring to buy him when he couldn't get a regular place under Mourinho - all though, to be fair to Joe, he was prepared to knuckle down and win back a regular place which does earn him a lot of respect from me.

And why should Joe get the benefit of the doubt when Frank is being slated even though he has said more or less the same thing? Frank has done a hell of lot more for the club over a longer period.

[BLUENUT]

Good points ethical

[Gem]

And why should Joe get the benefit of the doubt when Frank is being slated even though he has said more or less the same thing? Frank has done a hell of lot more for the club over a longer period.

Just because.

[loz]

I think sometimes (and strangely) the longer a player is with the club the less fans accept them looking for the best deal available to them.

For example if we signed Messi tomorrow and he was demanding £130k a week then although people would say 'Bloody footballers, overpaid play boys etc etc' theywould just accept that that is the going rate for a player of his standing in the game. So a player who at that point has contributed nothing to Chelsea is not called greedy, whereas Frank who has been here for a long time now and almost definitely played mroe games then any other player in our squad, is being questioned because he wants parity.

There is of course an argument for the Messi situaiton which is that he is young with years ahead of him and probably his peak is still to come whereas Frank has peaked and may well be starting to deteriorate. However there is the other argument that you should reward a player for years and years of service.

[Gem]

Messi?

[callista]

I like Joe, although I'm often a tad cynical when any player comes out with this kind of stuff. Still nice interview.

May be that's totally the wrong attitude but it's just me.

I'm pleased for Joe that he is happy playing the way he is now under Grant but personally I wish he would go back to how he was playing during his time with Mourinho at some points during games.

I feel he's actually regressed rather than got 100% better under the new regime and our more attacking football ethos.

He'll score a hat trick against Everton now I've said that just to prove me wrong.

And speaking of Lampard, that recent interview according to Giam Balligue on The Times podcast was an old one from 6 months ago, rehashed as an exclusive now and he does not see Lampard being here come the summer.

[loz]

Aargh yes the wise words of Giam, the man with a spy in every football club in the world. Not very good spies however as so far this season I think he has claimed Ronaldinho will be moving to at least three different clubs with each one being almost definite. He hasn't the foggiest what Frank is thinking or planning to do.

[ethicalstrategy]

Aargh yes the wise words of Giam, the man with a spy in every football club in the world. Not very good spies however as so far this season I think he has claimed Ronaldinho will be moving to at least three different clubs with each one being almost definite. He hasn't the foggiest what Frank is thinking or planning to do.

I believe that "Bill" Balague is a big Liverpool fan - is there a Spanish interest at that club?

Marcotti is a regular at the Bridge. Perhaps we can ask him?

My inside information (from inside my mind, small as it is,) is that Lamps will be off in the summer.

If so, I will wish him all the best, thank him for the 5/6 years of loyal service during which time he has been the most effective (personally, I think the best, but most effective is unarguable) midfield player in the country, and remember him as one of, perhaps even the major contributor to our winning back to back PL titles and as a Chelsea legend!

[Gem]

And speaking of Lampard, that recent interview according to Giam Balligue on The Times podcast was an old one from 6 months ago, rehashed as an exclusive now and he does not see Lampard being here come the summer.

No chance, completely different quotes.

[TheWestwayWonder]

Loz, I think the point youve hit upon, as in the difference between new and old club players demanding astronomical wages comes down to interviews like this. Joe loves Chelsea, according to his own words, so when we see something later about him demanding a wage hike or else threatening his departure, we get mad thinking about his quotes here

Not that I am justifying some of the accusations thrown at Frank (he loves Chelsea because nobody else wants him, etc) but in his case he professes to love the club already, the club match his ambition, he starts every week, etc. The guy has it made at Stamford Bridge. But when he demands a hike in wages to have parity with other earners at different clubs/in the dressing room, I can have little sympathy for that. If you are on 100k per week, and you supposedly love the club, supporters, situation, what difference is an extra 20-30k per week really worth? It seems like its just a pride thing.

With that said, I can sometimes see where Frank is coming from wanting to secure his future and his wages at the club considering he is knocking on the door of his 30s. But it gives me heart to see players like Frank and Joey Cole who pay lip service to the club and then go out there and work hard on the pitch in comparison to the sulk brigade like Drogba and Sheva with whom nobody is sure where their loyalties really lie

[callista]

And speaking of Lampard, that recent interview according to Giam Balligue on The Times podcast was an old one from 6 months ago, rehashed as an exclusive now and he does not see Lampard being here come the summer.

No chance, completely different quotes.

Okay, fair enough, I believe Giam is a Benitez die hard and Liverpool devotee (well I get that impression from his slaverings listening to the pod every week). So I guess I should have been more wary!

[mad_mac]

I also think that with the Lampard situation, he has been stalling and stalling on signing a new contract which will make people more cynical. He is a great palyer, don't get me wrong, but he is starting to dwindle and no way should be paid the same amount as the top guys until he proves he should. Same, in my mind, can be applied to any player who comes in. Sheva should not be paid as much as he is right now either

[just]

I say, good on Joe for saying what he has said. I like players to acknowledge that they are part of a club, and that the club is more important than any one player. I think Didi could learn a thing or two about this!

I don't think it is fair to be cinical by saying "of course Joe will say this, he's peripheral and only trying to secure his future.." How about, for one, we just take it as read that he does like playing for the club, and playing in a way that makes him happy!

Totally agree Scott.

In response to EthicalS, what does this have to do with Frank's situation?

Nothing as far as I can see. Cole is not in the process of engineering a new contract. Frank is. And while they can both tell us they love the club, (I believe that both do), and that they both want to stay for a long time, (I believe that one does), Lamps stalling over a new contract which has been on the table for a year doesn't do us any favours.

You don't like Joe Cole, (protest to the contrary, but a quick flick through most of your posts involving debate on him will prove the point), and that is fair enough. But to try to justify Lampard's current situation with yet another bit of Joe Cole bashing is a bit unfair.