You feel if it were anyone else more Gooners would celebrate ‘One of our own’ reaching a coaching milestone where he’s now working for the England senior team.
When Lee Carsley was made interim manager of the Three Lions, he invited Ashley Cole to work with him again, the two having led the English to the Euro Under 21 title a year ago.
The former left back didn’t get the credit other ex-players would get for that achievement.
Which is fitting as it sums up that 43-year-olds entire relationship with the Sport. Has he ever truly had the flowers he deserves?
He’s only one of 9 males to reach the 100 caps milestone but was his landmark handled with the same class as a Beckham or Rooney?
Only 5 of his peers have more caps then him yet while often referred to as one of, if not the, greatest ever in his position, but was he ever truly loved?
I have been at Wembley where I witnessed the full back be booed by his own supporters.
You sense even if he’s now part of the staff who take his country to the World Cup (and make no mistake this is an audition for Carsley) Cole would still not be considered for the manager’s job in the future?
Which doesn’t make sense when he more than meets the FA’s recent criteria for their top job.
Southgate got picked because he was part of the Football Association family and had experience as an international player, the idea being he could relate to those he trained.
Not just has Cole got his foot in the door with the FA his achievements on the pitch are superior to Southgate and Carsley combined.
On the pitch he’s won every possible domestic honour, played at three World Cups and 2 Euros.
On the sidelines he’s been part of a setup which got the Under 21’s to beat Spain in a Final.
If that were a Gerrard or Lampard on the bench Saturday, why do I believe it would get more coverage?
Why do I feel it would be viewed as a stepping stone in their development?
There are some who will say it’s due to the colour of his skin. That he, Lescott’s, Hasselbaink, Chris Powell’s, etc roles have been nothing more than football’s governing body ticking a box.
It does seem a shame that we bemoan the lack of Black coaches in the UK yet don’t celebrate Ashley Cole the coach.
I don’t think it’s a race issue though. It’s an image problem, something his PR team never got control of.
Because married and divorced a famous Pop Star and the manner of how he moved to Stamford Bridge, Cole was portrayed as everything wrong with the modern footballer.
In reality his personal life was no one else’s business while he wasn’t the first or last young millionaire to make mistakes.
As a player, it made him world class. He thrived on having the world against his and having a chip on the shoulder.
As a person he became reserved. He stopped talking to the media and only recently has he given his version of the story, such as how and why he left North London.
This perception of his character though is the opposite to Southgate’s and wouldn’t suit the FA’s image.
If our fanbase is honest, they dislike Cole because they loved him.
He was living our dream, a rare academy graduate who not just made it to the first team but won titles and Cups.
He should have been the face of the club as we moved from Highbury.
That was the plan till his employers went back on their verbal agreement. David Dein has since validated Cole’s insistence that it was the board who backtracked on a contract extension. Mr Dein calls it a mistake as the original agreed terms were affordable.
Not just did Cole go on to earn more money at the Bridge he won everything, while we haven’t won the Prem since he left.
So, on behalf of the JustArsenal Family (this might not make me popular) congratulations to Ashley Cole and his return to the England set up.
Once a Gooner always a Gooner
Dan
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Congratulations to the best attacking LB we’ve ever had, but I hope England national football team will adopt Guardiola’s and Arteta’s tactics instead of playing with attacking LB
I think Kenny Samson was our best LB, but Cole was voted favourite England player in a poll a few years back, always had the knack of clearing the ball off the line for us, Bobby always knew when he would be bombing past.
Cole was a fantastic left back. Perhaps the best ever English left back. But he lacked loyalty and class. Basically acted like a d*@k and got the reputation as a mercenary.
Great player in an England team full of great players.
I’m not sure about why Cole left Arsenal. No doubt money played a part as it very often does. I read that he thought that with The Invincibles team splitting up there may not be the same winning mentality at the club as previously. He also knew several of the then Chelsea players from his England outings.
If he did go because of those issues, he was proved right winning eight trophies with them. Arsenal did get Gallas and a small fee in return of course – the icing on a very disappointing cake.
What is he had stayed at Arsenal and added to whatever winning mentality still existed – which supposedly would have increased their chances of winning some of those trophies?
if not is
Possibly. Looking at the post-Invincibles team, they won the FA Cup the following year of course but it was the only trophy then for several seasons. How much difference would Cole continuing with Arsenal have made overall? One of the big “what ifs”.
He knew club lacked ambition due to paying off stadium debt
“Great player in an England team full of great players.”
I think of all the England players of that generation, he might have been the closest to best in the world in his position. It’s quite likely he was the No1 left back at times during his career. The other top England players were excellent, but there were always several you could name who were as good and better imo.
Never liked his character, even before he left arsenal. And while he was great at arsenal, we did miss his best years, which is sad.
Members of that JA family might wish to hold off on sending Cole congratulations since it’ll probably be a short gig when he learns of the money he might can get from Qatar to manage their team.
You think he’s only player motivated by money?
Yet your defend terrible players sat on bench on 100 000 pound a week
Did I state that? Other players at 100 000 pound a week? What are you trying to start up about? I’m not deflected easily, but thanks for trying.
I’ll give your view a hearty👍up. No reason why a professional athlete in his prime shouldn’t move to pastures new for higher income particularly if current employer withdraws a contract offer. In terms of trophy success he also made the right move.
How Arsenal fans crowed when the boot was on the other foot with Sol Campbell.
Chris Humphrey,
There’s a big difference between the Campbell to Arsenal and Cole to Chelsea saga’s.
Firstly Campbell was out of contract at Tottenham.
Cole was still under contract to Arsenal. And then he went behind Arsenal’s back and had secret meetings with the Chelsea management.
The story I heard was that Cole was going to get £60,000 a week originally, the apparently Arsenal wanted to change it to £55,000 a week.
So for the sake of £5000, Cole spat his dummy out. And then when Arsenal found out about the secret meetings with Chelsea, and got upset with Cole, he accused them of leaving him hanging out to dry with the sharks as I believe he put it at the time.
Player’s greed knows no bounds. If you can’t financially secure your future on £55,000 a week, then you must be very irresponsible with your income.
I wish I was at Cole’s wedding to Cheryl and when the vicar said will you be faithful and loyal, I would have fallen about laughing my head off.
Because as she was to find out, that Cole wouldn’t know the word loyalty if it came and smacked him in the mouth.
If that is the case with Cole then given his importance to Arsenal, the practical decision would surely have been not to have reneged on the agreed deal in the first place thus preventing any meetings with or an approach from Chelsea.
Yes, he shouldn’t have had meetings with Chelsea while under contract of course, but unfortunately professional football is not squeaky clean (and never has been). I’m pretty sure that includes Arsenal from time to time.
On the general point, I wonder how our current players would react if they were promised a pay rise of £x now then suddenly got a smaller one? Who knows? I don’t imagine they’d be too happy though and I don’t imagine that the management would want to put it to the test.
And why did Arsenal want to change it ?
Because they were equally motivated by money
It’s a business
When the club want an Ozil off the wage bill he’s greedy for wanting to respect contract
Cole is now greedy for bettering himself
DEREK, if you were the best in the world at your profession and your boss dropped your wage increase by 8.5%, would you agree to it ? I certainly wouldn’t.
There’s been a few players/people at The Arsenal that haven’t been loyal to their spouses, Cole wasn’t the first to play away from home.
Herr Drier,
While I’ll acknowledge that Cole was an outstanding Left-back for Arsenal and England, (One of the best left-back performance’s I’ve ever seen v Ronaldo at a Euro’s I think it was. Cole had him in his back pocket).
And while I agree with you about the wage being dropped to a point, lets get real here.
With these footballer’s who are already over paid for what they do, (and yes I know that it’s the owner’s fault for paying such over the top wages). To do what Cole did over £5000 is still truly greedy in my eyes.
It just shows me how far from reality these overpaid footballer’s are. There isn’t a footballer alive who’s worth the money they get, and I include the likes of Messi and Ronaldo in the conversation.
I really find it hard to believe that any normal minded human being can say with any sincerity that they deserve such ridiculous wages is beyond me.
And a little message to these gullible owner’s, the saying goes a fool and his money are soon parted. (Footballer’s must laugh every time they see there latest bank statements).
Laughable, truly laughable.
But it’s not just the wage
It was accepting that he could win more at Chelsea
Also all players are motivated by money to a point
When Saka signs a new contract he doesn’t say he’s making more then enough , he gets the best deal for him and his family
Dan,
I think £55000 a week is more than enough to look after your family.
Apparently not for Cashley Cole though.
He’s got every right to be offered the going rate
I’m equally Arsenal don’t need to ask for as much as do for tickets and shirts
Works both ways
Derek, Cole was advised by Vieira not to take less than £60K. at a time when wages were really surging. I thought he was as good as it got at the time and considered him unloyal, but it’s not my business to advise multi millionaire footballers how to arrange their finances or continue their careers.
Jax,
While I agree It’s not our business to advise multi millionaire footballers on how to arrange their finances or careers as you put it.
But there in lies the problem, you mention multi millionaire footballers. The trouble started over £5000 less than he wanted.
The sheer greed of footballers knows no bounds.
Just how much money do these greedy mercenaries need.
Look around at the hardships in both this country and around the world. And I know that’s not the players fault or concern, but when you see the pure greed of a lot of these players, it’s just outrageous the amount they get paid for what they do.
And I’m afraid anyone who can honestly say to me that they deserve such wages, I seriously have to question their mentality.
I do mate
They should be paid accordingly to what the product makes
So if the Prem makes billions in TV deals ticket revenue , merchandise, shouldn’t players see that money ?
If 60-000 thousand people are paying expensive tickets , even more on shirt and sky sports why should only Arsenal see that ?
Arsenal are just as greedy as Cole in this situation
Dan,
If ticket prices were cheaper, and this dripped down into all the other areas of football, ie: club merchandise, TV deals etc.
Then the money swirling around the football bubble, would mean that players would still get a good wage, without it being way over the top for what lets face it, is playing a game.
Disagree mate
If you look at how wages increased it goes in line with how much the sport sells
Ashley is one of the few Arsenal players that I have issues with to be honest. He’s not one of my favourite players lol. I didn’t like how he left us.
But I have no hatred towards him and wish him all the best
Ashley Cole was the best LB I’ve ever seen at our club.
The board lost his services for £5000 and the rest is history as far as that side of the story goes.
The other side saw one of our own, idolized by the fans, turn his back on the club, met one of our fiercest rivals behind the clubs back and signed for them.
I believe both sides bear 50% responsibility and too much water has passed under the bridge since then.
I would welcome Ashley back at the Emirates now. He’s part of our rich history and I wish him well in whatever he does.
I met David Seaman at a charity gig a few years after Cole had gone to Chelsea, I asked him why Cole left and he replied ” The truth will come out one day, there is much more to this”, I wanted to push him for more clarity but the lager wouldn’t let me keep on about it. I don’t believe it was simply the 5000 grand, remember Wenger tried to sell him to Newcastle
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