Joe Cole Says He Can Finally Shine

[Gem]

"I Can Truely Shine Under Scolari" - Joe Cole

JOE COLE has taken a swipe at Jose Mourinho by insisting he can finally express himself in a Chelsea shirt under Phil Scolari.

The new Blues boss started work this week and has already impressed the star-packed squad.

Under his previous managers, Cole was rarely able to demonstrate the tricks and flicks that marked him out as England's most promising teenager in the 90s.

But the midfielder is now ready to sparkle again under Scolari, who was renowned for his entertaining football during stints in charge of Brazil and Portugal.

Cole, who was forced to become part of rigid formations under Mourinho and later Avram Grant, said: "I'm getting a good vibe from Scolari.

"It is early days but he seems very approachable and has a huge football pedigree.

"I'm really excited to play for him, I'm chomping at the bit to get fit and out there.

"The way he sets his teams up, I've been waiting for it my entire career — a manager who wants to play the right way.

"I'm nearly 27 now and have been waiting for someone like him to come along.

"He already has the respect of the boys and has settled in nicely. I think it's going to be happy days for everyone."

Cole also revealed he has been talking to Portugal ace Paulo Ferreira, who played under Scolari at Euro 2008.

He added: "From what I know about the way he set up Portugal and Brazil, and watching them play it was beautiful football, there are plenty of players who like to get the ball down, I'm so excited.

"I spoke to Paulo about him and people who have played for him have a lot of respect for him and say what a good manager he is.

"That's a good sign because normally whenever you speak to people about a manager you often get mixed opinions. But everybody seems very complimentary."

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First Cech, now Joe is making the right noises about our new manager... pre-season can't come soon enough!

EDIT: Oh :) Why can't I post a link with text over it? It's from The Sun anyway.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport...icle1405080.ece

EDIT AGAIN: Hahahaha, can someone change the title to "Cole" Doh! Not with it this morning...

Edited July 10, 2008 by Gem

[evissy]

Haha good old Joey Cone!

But seriously I have always loved Joey's attitude. When Grant came Joey was among the first ones who said he relished the new challenge with Avram. Now he is among the first ones to speak out about the new gaffer. Other players should seriously follow Cone's, sorry Cole's path of being positive. I think there are not many people out there who hate Joey so he is good representing Chelsea IMO.

[ethicalstrategy]

EDIT AGAIN: Hahahaha, can someone change the title to "Cole" Doh! Not with it this morning...

Your wish is my command

[ivorycoast]

well i guess we will find out how good joe cole really is then. i never really rated him that highly as i thought he went missing far too often(plus hes a HORRIBLE crosser of the ball). But after that game vs spurs last year, my view totally changed. Honestly i dont think i had ever seen anything like it in football before. Everything he touched turned into gold. Avram was a twat to take him off. That lost us the f**king prem!

[BLUENUT]

Just because he managed Brazil and a talented Portugese side it doesn't mean we've gone to step-over heaven Joe

[snitrbt25]

He came out with the same when Grant arrived and the same now, what an arse kisser.

And god help if he's going to do more tricks, he needs to get the current ones right first.

[bennyboy1976]

Hopefully, Joey will do the business this year given the oppotunity (not saying he didn't perform well last year, i don't think anyone had an unbelievable season).

[andy]

"He's here, he there ...."

Agree that his form the later part of last year was a bit hit and miss, but some of you got short memories, in our second of our back to back championships, he was awsome, as a good as anyone in the world.... and got loads of match winners for us in importnat matches.

.. and guess what... the only true blue in the club as far as I am concered.. A boyhood supporter.. not a follower, a supporter he actually came to games.

Come on joey cole !

[Guest]

But seriously I have always loved Joey's attitude. When Grant came Joey was among the first ones who said he relished the new challenge with Avram. Now he is among the first ones to speak out about the new gaffer.

I think that says more about his relationship with Mourinho than it does about his relationship with Scolari and Grant TBH.

[Nibs]

Pretty mixed bag of responses I see.

I don't think Joe ever really knew where he stood with Mourinho. One minute he would get a bit of praise, next minute he was the scapegoat. Must have been very frustrating for him at times and that's putting it mildly and all credit to Joe for sticking at it and improving as an all round player and making himself an England regular.

That Tottenham game last season was one of the best individual performances I have ever seen from any player in a Chelsea shirt. But that was pretty much his last really decent game of the season. He has to produce that more often now, especially if Lamps moves on because we really will be relying on the likes of Joe a heck of a lot.

Hopefully he will blossom under Scolari. Lets hope it's the making of him.

[TomP]

I think if Scolari goes with a 4-2-3-1, it means a couple of things for Joe Cole:

Firstly, it will give him a definate first-team place, which I don't think he has ever really had with us so far in his career.

Secondly, it will give him the licence to attack, with a lot less of the defensive responsibilities that he had under Mourinho/Grant.

I'm not sure if either of these things are good or bad - it will depend on how Joe reacts I suppose.

Under Mourinho, he looked at his best when (1) he was fighting for a place in the side with Robben and Duff (2) he was made to knuckle down and play for the team.

It worries me a bit that with a freer role, and the likes of Deco, and possibly a Robinho or a Ronaldinho coming into the squad, that Joe will try to out-do them with self-indulgent tricks.

I think Joe is one of those players who actually needs to concentrate on the simple things in the game and get them right. The fancy stuff comes naturally to him. He will instinctively come up with freakish things naturally two or three time in a match. It is when he tries to do these things every time he gets the ball that his game falls apart in my opinion.

Anyway, hopefully for him and for us, he takes the best part of what he learned under the Special One and applies it himself to the freer role he will get under Scolari.

[ianwatkins]

I think if Scolari goes with a 4-2-3-1, it means a couple of things for Joe Cole:

Firstly, it will give him a definate first-team place, which I don't think he has ever really had with us so far in his career.

Secondly, it will give him the licence to attack, with a lot less of the defensive responsibilities that he had under Mourinho/Grant.

I'm not sure if either of these things are good or bad - it will depend on how Joe reacts I suppose.

Under Mourinho, he looked at his best when (1) he was fighting for a place in the side with Robben and Duff (2) he was made to knuckle down and play for the team.

It worries me a bit that with a freer role, and the likes of Deco, and possibly a Robinho or a Ronaldinho coming into the squad, that Joe will try to out-do them with self-indulgent tricks.

I think Joe is one of those players who actually needs to concentrate on the simple things in the game and get them right. The fancy stuff comes naturally to him. He will instinctively come up with freakish things naturally two or three time in a match. It is when he tries to do these things every time he gets the ball that his game falls apart in my opinion.

Anyway, hopefully for him and for us, he takes the best part of what he learned under the Special One and applies it himself to the freer role he will get under Scolari.

[ianwatkins]

I think Joe will be far more effective with the quicker short passing game of deco then theslightly longer game that both lamps and ballack prefer. If Joe was spanish during the euros we would be talking so much about the silva and iniestas of this world

[g3.7]

ha ha- he wouldn't really fit into that side, and his passing is nowhere near silva's, let alone ineista.

p.s. fail to see why his spot would be any more assured than it was before (to me he's a first choice though), but good news all the same.

Edited July 12, 2008 by gullit4

[ianwatkins]

ha ha- he wouldn't really fit into that side, and his passing is nowhere near silva's, let alone ineista.

Even with my rose tinted specs on, I believe Joe would truly shine in Spains short passig midfield, how you can say his passing is nowhere near Silva and iniesta is totally beyond me. I bet you would be saying that if you had watched a few more Barce and Valencia games last season.

Spain's whole way of playing, especially when playing with a lead is so differant to the way England and Chelsea set up in a similar position. In tight or so called big games Joe and SWP or Becks(for England) end far far to close to the right and left backs. Then a longish ball from whoever gets possession and Joe has no chance.

You have to admit Gullit that joe is at his best when the ball is at his feet and in the Spanish system that would happen a lot more and in the right areas of the pitch (not when his knackered from always having to cover some donkey of a left or right back). So if you seriously think the 2 spanish boys would still be far better if Joe played in that system then you are talking utter bo**ocks

[g3.7]

I sometimes forget that you actually are joe cole.

[gustyheadhunter]

im very excited by the thought of joey and deco weavin a bit of magic on the hallowed turf.

[barak81]

Talking of players that can do somthing a little speciale. I read to day in the tiny tiny inched of the london lite (thus why im not even giving it its own thread) that scolari has said scott sincalair has pre-season to impress him, after that he makes a decition on his future....

now this is only valid if he gets fair amout of playing time

[pinturicchio93]

Joe is a great player who will do well this year

[BLUENUT]

JOE COLE has taken a swipe at Jose Mourinho by insisting he can finally express himself in a Chelsea shirt under Phil Scolari.

we're still waiting Joe!!!

[dkw]

we're still waiting Joe!!!

yep, hes been poor so far. played well v pompey, but then everyone did. but v wigan and spuds he was garbage.

[midlandblue]

Jo will need to up his game otherwise Scott Sinclair will be drafted in to play this position.

[kalpitv]

Jo will need to up his game otherwise Scott Sinclair will be drafted in to play this position.

Not too sure about that but Joey does need to step up his game.

[midlandblue]

Not too sure about that but Joey does need to step up his game.

Well going on last night performance for the reserves, M.O.M. for me, it is clear that he has knuckled down and is desperate to play with the big boys. I know he looked a little over whelmed when he did play for the first tem last season, but last night the drive and desire to win was obvious and his stamia looks great in what was a very quick and energy sapping game.

A definate contender for a regular place in the first team squad this season and possibly a star in the making.

[dkw]

Well going on last night performance for the reserves, M.O.M. for me, it is clear that he has knuckled down and is desperate to play with the big boys. I know he looked a little over whelmed when he did play for the first tem last season, but last night the drive and desire to win was obvious and his stamia looks great in what was a very quick and energy sapping game.

A definate contender for a regular place in the first team squad this season and possibly a star in the making.

he did look better than ive seen him before, and one piece of skill in the box which took him away from 2 defenders and got a good shot on target was brilliant. but he does still make the wrong decision too often, though it hasnt stopped kalou i suppose.