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'We're starving to win something'
By Alan Smith (Filed: 02/10/2004)
Joe Cole is on something of a run at the moment. After visiting his mum the
other night, he arrived back home towards midnight to find he had left his
house key s behind. Not wanting to drive all the way back, he checked into a
hotel.
When it came to this interview, the forgetfulness continued. Having hung
around Chelsea's training ground for a couple of hours, waiting without
success for Cole to appear, I started to suspect, rightly as it turned out,
that he had forgotten and gone home. Not only that, he ran out of petrol on
the way.
Not really his week, then, especially when you consider he lost his place
last weekend after five games on the trot playing pretty well. Perhaps the
disappointment was preying on his mind. Full of apologies yesterday,
this most likeable of characters explained the full story.
"My form was good," he said. "I helped the team to some great victories. But
I want to give the team more. I need to score more goals. You see players
like Pires and Ljungberg score seven or eight a season. I need to get in the
box more and do that. Once I add that to my game I think it will take me on
to the next level."
For the conscientious Cole, this is a favourite subject: improving his
standards, making the best of his career. He seems determined to ensure that
the Chelsea revolution does not pass him by.
"It's so exciting for Chelsea and I want to be a regular part of it, as much
as J T [John Terry] and Lamps [Frank Lampard]. Obviously they've been here
longer than me and been able to nail their places down. Rightfully so, they're
great players but I want some of that too. That's what I aspire to."
It looked fairly promising as well during that five-match spell, the best of
his Chelsea career so far. Many observers compared Cole's role to that of
Deco whose invention at Porto, floating freely behind the strikers, led to
Champions League glory under Jose Mourinho. Could it be that the Portuguese
coach wanted to transfer that system directly to West London and saw, in Cole,
the perfect man for the job?
That particular theory, however, took something of a hit when Damien Duff
returned from injury, keeping Cole out again for Wednesday's win over Porto.
Despite that, the midfielder's overall enthusiasm for his new manager remains
totally undimmed.
"Training is spot on. All the lads are loving it. In matches, getting on the
ball in the gaffer's come in and given me a chance to do that.
"He's very different to how he comes across in the media. You only see that
side of him [the cocky one presumably] when he's having a go at someone.
Usually he's more relaxed and one of the lads. He'll have a laugh and a joke
with you, which people obviously don't see."
But what must it be like playing for rouble-rich Chelsea, a club who can have
anything they want at the click of a finger? Insecurity in the dressing room
must play a big part.
"I couldn't imagine what it would be like if there wasn't a transfer window.
You could come into training and Zidane or Ronaldo could be sitting in your
place.It's fairly quiet now but come January there'll be every man and his dog
linked to the club. It's exciting, though, certainly different to West Ham.
It's a massive club and on the way to becoming one of the biggest in Europe.
"The boss has been clever because you've got players like me, Lamps, J T,
Duffer [Duff], Drogba, Kezman - players who have not won a major honour. We're
not hungry, we're starving. I wouldn't want to finish this season without
winning something, and I don't think we will."
Unfortunately, the international arena has yet to properly embrace him. Cole,
nearly 23 now, so wants to do well, to represent his country with distinction
but can't quite find a route into Sven-Goran Eriksson's side. Eighteen caps
include only two starts, both in friendlies. You can hear the raw frustration
when he talks on the subject.
"When you look at the games I've played, I think I deserve a run in the side.
You see some players get lots and lots of chances and you think it would be
nice to go out there knowing you were going to get a couple of games on the
bounce. Given that, I'm sure I could cement a place in the team. I've just got
to keep working hard and hopefully that will come.
"To go away for 10 days with England and to spend three days in, say, an
Eastern European country just training - everyone says how great it is to
represent your country and, yeah, it is great, but it also takes a lot of
mental strength togo there and sit in the stand or sit on the bench and not be
part of it. I've been doing it for a long time now.
"I'd love to start the Wales game. I'm not holding my breath because I wasn't
picked last time when I was playing really well for Chelsea, but I'd love to
go there and get the nod. I'm not complaining. It's all down to me. I need to
play out of this world to force the manager's hand. If I'm man of the match
every weekand I still don't get picked then I'd hold my hands up and say I've
done everything I can."
Cole, for certain, is trying to do that. It might not be good enough for
Eriksson while Mourinho, for now, has gone for something different. That
situation will probably continue for tomorrow's clash with Liverpool.
But Cole will be there, pacing the line, waiting and hoping, until another
chance pops up to change people's minds.
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