Joe Cole revelling chance to play regular football at Coventry City
Tuesday 20 October 2015 09:41, UK
Sky Sports News HQ reporter Rob Dorsett discovers the buzz around Coventry City after their capture of Joe Cole on a 35-day emergency loan.
"After the posh hotels he's used to, I daren't tell Joe that we travel to away matches on the day of the game!"
So said a Coventry City official to me, as we arrived to interview new loan signing, Joe Cole.
"To be honest, I doubt he'll be too upset about missing out on an overnight stay in Rochdale!" quipped another.
It is an extraordinary tale. One excited fan told me Cole is the biggest signing for the Sky Blues since Robbie Keane 16 years ago. That view offers some perspective.
The man has West Ham (twice), Chelsea, Liverpool, Lille and Aston Villa on his CV, and now he's dropping two divisions in the search for a style of football that suits him.
"You're a long-time retired in this game, so I just want to go and play some football," said Cole.
"Aston Villa have signed a lot of players in my position of late, so it was proving difficult for me to get any football. My agent and I spoke about the type of club I could go to, I had a chat with the gaffer here and his staff and he really impressed me.
"I need to compete. I need to have that challenge on a Tuesday and a Saturday, need to get some games into my legs because it's been a long time since I've played a run of games."
Cole did have the opportunity to play at a higher level than Coventry can offer him, but he turned those clubs down in favour of a spell at the Ricoh Arena.
"I had the chance to go out on loan in the Championship, or abroad," he explains. "Do I want to go to a Championship club that is maybe hoofing it, and struggling at the wrong end of the table, or go to a team like Coventry that plays football in the right way, has a load of young players that I can help with my experience, and enjoy myself?
"I've had a lot of injuries in the last couple of years - loads of niggles, which has interrupted me a lot. It's difficult when you get into that routine of training all week, but not playing games. But I've made a few changes in my training and preparation, so I feel stronger and fitter and ready. You can only get properly fit by playing matches, so hopefully I'll get that chance now."
At 33, Cole is thinking longer term about what his life might look like once he's retired.
"Here, there's also the option of picking up experience in the Leagues for when I go into coaching, and I feel I can learn a lot from the gaffer here.
"I've been lucky enough to play for some of the very best teams in the world, when they were at their peak. But I've also played for teams battling relegation, so I've had a broad experience of football, albeit only at the top level. So this is something new for me, but I'm joining a great bunch of lads.
Hopefully after 35 days we'll still be up there, and maybe even a bit stronger."
So what did his new team-mates make of him, a man who has won 56 caps for England, as he walked into the changing room at the Sky Blue Lodge in Ryton for training on Monday morning?
"I like to think I'm easy going - there's no ego from me. It's what I love. I can't bear the thought of waking up and not going into a club each morning, hearing the banter from the lads.
"When you step over that white line, it doesn't matter what you've done in the past. It's 11 against 11. And the boys here seem a good bunch, who play good football."
Cole has played 60 minutes of football in total this season - against Notts County in the Capital One Cup - and has only made Aston Villa's matchday squad for a Premier League game three times, but he's looking no further forward than the chance to make his Coventry debut against Rochdale.
"I'm excited," he added. "I've played a lot of U21s football recently, and I don't think it's good for the development of English football. You can play 20 U21 matches and not learn as much as a few games of proper competitive football at this level.
"Young kids will learn much more playing against guys who it really matters to - guys who need to win a contract to pay their mortgage. It's much more competitive, if you ask me. You need to experience coming up against someone who is going to kick you - this isn't a tickling contest. It's tough. And the kids need to learn that. I'm really looking forward to it."
For a man who has won three Premier League titles and two FA Cups - it's a refreshing attitude that highlights his love of the game.
