Joe Cole has opened up on his time at Liverpool and cited a change of ownership as one of the reasons why he failed to make an impact at Anfield. And now reflecting on the move, Cole believes the sacking of Roy Hodgson, injuries and a change of ownership were the reasons why he failed to make a mark at Anfield.
Joe Cole said: “At the risk of upsetting Liverpool fans any more than they’re upset with me already, I probably wouldn’t go back to Liverpool club. But not for any fault of the club or because I didn’t like the club or anything. I signed for the previous owners and then they sold the club four or five weeks later. And you know what football clubs are like, it’s hard enough when managers come and go, you can fall out of favour. But when the owners come and go… I knew it was only a matter of time before Roy [Hodgson] got the boot, and that’s when my injuries started in the sense that, from my knee injury, I kept picking up muscle injuries, I couldn’t explode as quick as I wanted. A bit like you see with Gareth Bale now, and even more so with Gareth it’s glaring because he’s a sprinter, I was never really a sprinter. But I was never as sharp as I used to be [after the knee injury]. So right club, wrong time I’d say. And then I went to France and I absolutely loved it in France. It was like a breath of fresh air. Rudi Garcia was brilliant with me, he said I only needed to train twice a week but I’d still play. I ended up playing 35,40 games in the season. It got to the point where I wanted to stay at Lille, Lille wanted me, but then Brendan [Rodgers] came to Liverpool. Brendan I knew from Chelsea, he knew what I could do, he’d seen me in my pomp, so he thought I could be a useful player. First game of the season I actually got into the starting line-up, it was [Stewart] Downing on one side, me on the other side and it must have been [Luis] Suarez up top. I played, done my hamstring in the first five minutes, and I was devastated. I ended up staying until January, played a handful of Europa League games. I actually scored against West Ham for Liverpool, the only reason I was on the pitch was because there was an injury crisis. I’d already arranged the move to West Ham, it was just before the new year, I wanted to get out of there and get back home to West Ham. Played against West Ham, scored, and I’m like: “What do I do now? Is this a reprieve for me at Liverpool?” but it wasn’t and I still left to go back to West Ham.”
On how difficult it was to leave Chelsea, Joe Cole said “I think if [ Carlo Ancelotti ] had played me in the last two games of the season, I would have stayed. I’d have taken any money they’d have given me because I didn’t want to leave. It was hard for me to leave the club at the time. It was difficult.”
Before Cole, talking to the Premier League, continued on his Chelsea departure,
Joe Cole said “I think if [Carlo Ancelotti] had played me in the last two games of the season, I would have stayed. I’d have taken any money they’d have given me because I didn’t want to leave. It was hard for me to leave the club at the time. It was difficult.”
