So, Joe Cole has made his choice. He was offered the chance of a reunion with Uncle ‘Arry, a renaissance with Mnsr Wenger, or a return to his boyhood club, West Ham. In the end, he opted for Roy Hodgson’s Liverpool. One can’t help but wonder why – it certainly wasn’t the lure of Champions League football.
It’s funny. Only a few weeks ago, Cole’s agent was insistent that participation in Europe’s premier competition was at the forefront of Cole’s mind:
“Football is the most important thing to Joe and continuing to play in the Champions League is high on his priorities.”
Not that high, it seems. Cole has now opted to join a side who will be contesting the Europa League, which has about as much credibility in this country as the bastard offspring of the League Cup and Eurovision. We know Harry Redknapp was interested because he made a point of telling us. We know Arsene Wenger was interested because he made a point of not telling us. So what are the factors that have persuade Cole to move to Merseyside?
The first, and most obvious, is money. Matt Law of The Express suggests that Arsenal offered Cole £80k for two years, and Spurs £65k for three. Liverpool are widely reported to have paid £90k, for – and here’s the clincher – four years.
Cole has the security of a massive wage until he is 32 years old. Whatever injuries may befall him, whether he loses his first-team place to Nabil El-Zhar, that sum is guaranteed. Some pundits have incorrectly suggested that Liverpool have swapped Yossi Benayoun for Cole and ended up £5m better off. Hardly: Cole will cost Liverpool nearly £19m over the next four years. And that’s without the inevitable signing-on fee.
But finance isn’t the only factor in Cole’s decision – there’s first-team football, too. Spurs would probably have to change their system to one focused around a lone front-man to accommodate Cole, and they don’t currently have a striker suited to that role. Their flanks are well stocked, with Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon both coming off the back of very strong seasons. Arsenal, meanwhile, have a whole host of players in the Cole mould – Andrey Arshavin, Samir Nasri, Tomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere to name but a few.
Liverpool, however, have just lost Benayoun, and look set to sell Albert Riera. Assuming Hogdson adopts the same 4-4-1-1 tactic he used at Fulham, Cole could be deployed off Torres or on either flank as a creative alternative to Dirk Kuyt.
So Cole will get a chance to play. If, that is, he’s fit. He’s made just 28 Premier League starts in last two seasons combined – the same amount he made in 2007/08 alone. This is not a player on an upwards trajectory. Along with Torres and Gerrard, he now forms part of one of the most injury prone frontlines in Europe.
If he can stay fit, he could well prove a good signing – he has the potential to bring imagination to a Liverpool side that lacked sparkle last season. That if, however, is almost as big as the pay packet that persuaded Cole to move North in the first.
Good post sir,
I`d rather let Jack play than Cole. Joe has demonstrated it`s all about the money over the CL and Beautiful football Arsenal can play.
Although, you have to wonder if Joe thought to himself..
“hmm who am I competing with? AA23, Jack, Samir, Rosicky, Ramsey (eventually) and such”
If I were in his shoes, I would have go to Pool too, at least he gets his gravy train move and 4 years of it.
I wonder if secretly he wishes Man City might have come in for him…
Daryl
another blog, arsenal analysis i think had a look at the effect of new epl rules on squad composition – re benayooun, liverpool have got rid of a foreign player and replaced him with a homegrown one. and since their squad is packed with average foreign players, every little helps! arsenal have plenty of homegrown talent, so can more afford to live without cole. as predicted though, the quota rules will only serve to artificially inflate the price of English (and Welsh..!?) players
If he had of Signed for Arsenal then we would all be jumping about the place screaming great signing, but i spose thats just fickle football fans lol
I just want the money. Not worried about the football. Just want to make liverpool broke. I dont have any loyaltys to any one besides HSBC. lol
a year from now he may miss london……it may take two years for hodgson to get liverpool on track as some players are getting older……a risk for coles talent….and liverpool……as a spurs fan we have to continue to prove to all we mean bussiness etc as it seems no one wants to believe our effort yet
for me the best bet for him was Spurs due to the way redknapp is making good the players….
a revitalised joe cole etc…
very bitter daryl you plonker!
Some pundits have incorrectly suggested that Liverpool have swapped Yossi Benayoun for Cole and ended up £5m better off. Hardly: Cole will cost Liverpool nearly £19m over the next four years. And that’s without the inevitable signing-on fee.
Well Yossi apparently cost about £7m and is on £75k per month on a 3 year deal and he is 30 years old! so they will pay £12m in wages and £6m in transfer fee’s. So for the same price we get a younger, better, british player.
LFC 1 – 0 Chelsea
One word:
Money.
Article done.
Well i thought it was only the blue noses that are bitter. You still haven’t got over us dumpin you in cl. Quoter of English players, only 2 seasons back you never had one in the starting line up. we have just signed Stirling ans Sheveley from under your noses when cesc goes i suppose you will be sayin you didnt need him. Ye rite e ho.5 times baby you nil x
As someone who has watch Joe Cole through all his years at Chelsea, and before at West Ham, all I can say is that he has peaked, and Chelsea were right to let him go.
Mourinho got a great season from him in 2005-06 but injuries and form have spiraled downwards since then. He is tactically naive and will opt to try and beat players, then lose possession, just at the wrong moment, which leaves you open. See Chelsea/Inter at the Bridge last season.
Ballack off, Joey on, we lost all shape, we lost the match.
He’s a lovely lad, not the brightest but wouldn’t hurt a fly, I really hope he can rediscover his form as England (as well as Liverpool) need it, but I’m sad to say I don’t think he’ll ever hit the heights again.
Good luck Joey, and thanks for the memories.
He joined Liverpool because they are a bigger club than Arsenal and Spurs. That’s just the way it is irrespective of who’s playing CL football next season.
He joined Liverpool because they are a bigger club than Arsenal and Spurs. That’s just the way it is irrespective of who’s playing CL football next season.
That’s delusional. Liverpool are a big club, nobody’s saying they aren’t, but Joe Cole doesn’t have time to wait for them to become title challengers again, which is probably going to take years.
He went for the safer, more lucrative option. More chance of first team football than at Arsenal, more money over a longer period than Spurs.
You can be quite sure if someone had offered more money than Liverpool he’d have gone there.
hmmm leta do the math…. we sell a 30yr old to chelsea who earns about 75k a week for 6 mil and sign a better player on a free for 90k. And your saying its a bad deal.
I think thats just sour grapes. Its funny all the english fans and even john terry saying he should play and now your captain is wrong and he is over the hill lol.
oh and it may take a a couple of years to get back, but it will take you 15 years to catch us on titles.
Finally i was watching the word cup and recognised the Chelsea must have one one to the oldest teams in the prem not liverpool.
Was Benayoun really on £75k p/week at Liverpool? I’d be amazed if he were. And regardless, is Joe Cole that much better than him?
Why isn’t anyone stating the obvious?
Joe Cole has just signed for English footballs most decorated and respected club. Only Liverpool, Milan and Real can honestly lay claim to being the greatest club in the world. Good decision if you ask me. The Kop is still revered throughout football and I’m sure Joe cole is already thinking about making the kop roar. Why would he choose spurs over that ? lol. Crap stadium and no hope of remaining in top 4. Everton finished fourth once and they too said we we’re doomed. As for moyes,keep it up… this trophyless streak is getting funnier by tid year. Fabregas will be gone and arsenal will prob finish midtable.
lets say he was on 50k a week its still a good deal, we have replaced a squad player with a first 11 for the difference.
we have 6 mil in the bank to pay his fist years wages so we can back the difference to pay half his second year.
plus we have made on the contract value , how much can he be sold for , he has got to be worth 10 mil.
so if we wanted we could sell and make back a good percentage of the wages spent. so yes its a good deal.
that all siad theres a bigger reason why i know its a good deal, all the other fans ie arsenal, spurs and chelsea are all bitching about the move, if he was not a good signing we would all be doing something else
I am a spurs fan. At the end of the day fair play to him . Both Spurs and Arsenal fans would of loved to of had him . Whether warming the bench or not. But lets just see who has the last laugh. Give one more season for Gerrard and Torres. cause if they win nothing Liverpool. Both those players will be off, and seeing money is drying up in liverpool due to there owners. Liverpools days of being a big club as in power, is coming to an end.
He’s clearly signed for the club that’ll offer him the most first team football…& the best £’s deal..can hardly blame him for that.
Neither AFC nor Spurs really need him.
His injury history aside, Being 100% cheeky chappie cockney boy, I’d be worried about how he’s going to make the transition from living in London to Liverpool.
JOEY COLE JOEY COLE WE HAVE HIM, NAME 1 LONDON CLUB TO WIN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MANY ARE IN THE CUP BUT FEW WIN LINFIELD OV BELFAST ARE IN THE CUP FORGET CL WE WILL WIN THE PREM. HOW MANY PLAYERS ARE LEFT FROM THE TEAM THAT FINISHED 2ND 14 MONTHS AGO XABI, IS THE ONLY MAJOR PLAYER TO LEAVE NO WE AV JOEY COLE JOEY COLE AND MISS LONDON MY AR@E JOHN BARNES MICHEAL THOMAS PAUL INCE NEVER MOVED BACK TO THE SMOKE
i remember when so many great players left liverpool over the years, i am sure at some stage torres and gerrard will leave.
but it think your forgetting what happens in big clubs, they just go into rebuild for a few years then come back and win a few more trophies.
its not normal for one club to win for years on end, Man u have done a great job.
the cycle of winning goes in and out, liverpool will always be there or there abouts.
with players that we havent heard of yet.
as will all clubs , thats football
Yossi went for no more than £5m he is on lower wages and stats wise is equal to Cole. Cole got a 4 year deal on the terms he wanted the signing on fee he wanted and guaranteed 1st team football. No other club was willing to meet those demands which is why he went to Liverpool it is a plain as day.
Joe Cole has just signed for English footballs most decorated and respected club. Only Liverpool, Milan and Real can honestly lay claim to being the greatest club in the world.
That kind of thinking is what makes Liverpool fans so hard to take. How on earth can a club which hasn’t won its domestic league in over 20 years lay claim to being the greatest club in the world?
One flukey Champions League since their last league win and we’re supposed to hold them in almost mythical regard. It’s pathetic.
this is the sign of good things to come at Liverpool. Hodgson layed out Liverpool future with Cole making him jump at the revolution about to unfold, who knows maybe Our new owners will be unveiled soon.
Maybe it has something to do with our trophy cabinet ! And don’t give me all that ‘living off your history’ as we’ve won 8 major trophies over the last decade… not bad for a so called drought eh.
United went 26 years without winning the league but I’m sure many will still consider them to be one of the greats.
Wait until the medical is completed, l undertsnad he has an ongoing issue..it may not yet be a done deal…I support Liverpool but the news we have already signed him without the medical is a real concern.
If we get everyother game out of him it will not be enough, we need a stayer!
Pool
Does finnagan have bad eyesight!!!!!.
Scabber, they would sign him with one leg. They are trying to make a statement in the market place, they get him on a free and use the six million they have for transfers for other targets, which with that sort of money are not going to be head spinners.
RED MAIL YOUR NEW OWNERS MIGHT BE UNVEILED SOON THE OFFICIAL RECEIVER,BECAUSE YOU CLEARLY HAVE NO IDEA OF YOUR OWN CLUBS FINANCIAL PLIGHT AND THE FIASCO CREATED BY THE YANK SHYSTERS WHO OWN YOUR CLUB.WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE.
he would have not gone the world cup if he had a ongoing issue.
Joe Cole has gone to liverpool becuase chelsea did not want him and they are a big club giving him a excellent package,
but its good for liverpool as well.
is liverpool bigger then chelsea, i dont know, how long does it take to make a big club,
its easy to knock clubs who have always been at the or the top becuase they have bad seasons ,
the piont is we will continue wining something and adding it to what we have already won, we can trickle along amd still be the most successful club in england.
fergi is are only threat not man u, he is a world class manager.
Liverpool will bring him guaranteed glory and guaranteed money. You lads are so biased. Yes london is a great place to live. But when’s the last time Tottenham or Arsenal have had a player voted into the World XI. Liverpool currently have 2. After his first season at liverpool, Torres was voted 3rd in the Ballon D’Or, and his no.9 shirt became the best selling shirt for the spanish national team. Mascherano joined and soon became the captain of argentina. While they might have not won trophies, I don’t think any player on liverpool would suggest the club hurt their career. He made the right move for himself.
The only people that batter on about Liverpool not winning for 20 years and not being a big club are fans from other clubs too blinkered to admit that the long list of trophies we have won is more than any other English club.
Facts don’t lie, only blinkered, jealous fans
its odd how a fans ca say we are bankrupt, all the top clubs are financial unsound except arsenal and those fans bleat on about spending more, you cant have both.
sugar daddies dont make a financil club they make a play toy, all of the top clubs have one now.
its chaged things but oweing 450 mil and spending 450 mil the club would not be able to generate on its own is the same thing,
I don’t think anyone is suggesting Liverpool’s past achievements mean nothing. Just at the moment they’re a club in decline. I think Hodgson has got a huge job on his hands. Mascherano wants out and I would be very surprised if Torres remained a Liverpool player next season.
Which in itself might not be the worst thing in the world. If Hodgson can spend whatever money he gets for Torres he might improve Liverpool’s attacking depth if not its individual quality.
Tommy – I’m sure Thierry Henry finished second at least twice in that contest, although quite why you’re so concerned with it is beyond me.
Liverpool will be lucky if Cole, Torres and Gerrard actually start a game together, he was offered 90k at chelsea and turned it down then realised he couldn’t get more anywhere else. i love Joe cole and wish him well and maybe he will rediscover his form at a new club, i think benayoun is a good player and always thought he was dangerous when chelsea played liverpool and think he will do well for the blues players sometimes need a fresh club to kickstart things. As the home grown quota argument i think if you check uefa this has now been dropped.
Two words…GREED and MONEY!
Cole wants to play in the Europa League and not The Champions League.
He has no sporting ambitions just good ol’ fashion greed.
Look what clube he came from… moneygrabbing Chel$kij!
Cole…Has come for the money – of that there is no doubt. I have heard a number of rumours today – re; his fitness and the actual payment- known to be in excess of 90k, I understand it is 120k a week!!!! for four years with a payment of 8mill paid also!
all this and half of us are earning 12k a year! insult, l am a season ticket holder who is very unhappy…plus, this is extremley worrying as we are also on the brink..new oners have again pulled out..
Pool
I sense sour grapes here. My cousin is a huge Gunner and was gutted he didnt sign for them. This is perfect for Joe and Liverpool as they need him to play and he wants games to get back to his old self, win win situation really. I think that the thought he went just for the money not for the team and team history etc is stupid.
As for the £19mil that are his wages. Benayoun at £60,000 plus a week would have cost around £12.5mil over four years if he stayed, by getting £5mil for him Liverpool are paying in total £2mil more for younger, home grown player who is better and 2 years younger. So who really got the better deal Chelsea or Liverpool?
A lot of sour grapes on here, I am a bit gutted he didn’t sign for us as he would have made a good squad player and given us more options. He has obviously gone for the big money, longer contract & 1st team football and who can blame him really??
i think he would of been a good signing for us gooners but we are fine in that department. i can understand why wenger didnt go all out to get him. we need reinforcements in goal and defence rather than an injury prone midfielder. will be a good signing for liverpool tho.
on a side note, why do liverpool fans have to harp on about their history and being the biggest club in the world(trademark)? no one cares. if you go on past glories, notts forest are up their with barca! it doesnt take a genius to work out which way that club is going.
Jamie Redknapp says Cole was right to join Liverpool: http://bit.ly/bwPk62
Case closed. It’s the wrong call.
I think that Joe has made the right decision for himself. The spuds with Harry are very insecure and the likelihood that they won’t get far even through the qualifying stages of the CL is high. Arsenal on the other hand probably would have got the best out of him, however the foreign bias and the lack of first team football may have swayed him.
Liverpool can be reinvigorated under Hodgson and due to their status can always attract top players. I was impressed with how he had Fulham playing with average players and an English manager with an English talent I am always in favour of.
‘While they might have not won trophies, I don’t think any player in liverpool would suggest the club hurt their career.’
Albert Riera would i think!
If, as some say it was all about the money, he would have gone back to West Ham, who offered him 105k per week …
[...] a bonus – as I sit down to write it I’m digesting both a chicken dhansak and the news that Joe Cole has opted to sign for Liverpool. Of those, only the latter has any relevance – but it’s significant. Arsenal were [...]
As a gunners fan i’m ecstatic we’ve not signed Cole, not that hes a bad player, firstly just we don’t need anymore technically gifted injury prone players than we already have and secondly this will hopefully allow Wilshere to get some playing time and we can see if Jack the Lad can show us that hes destined to become the star we all hope he is, lest we loan him out to Bolton again and he start to pick up some of Kevin Davies less appreciable traits.
As for Cole can’t blame the lad, he goes to a team hes guarnteed 1st team actions(when hes fit) Liverpool get a player with some creative quality thats after Torres and Gerrard don’t have any.
Cole wins – buckets of cash and a first team place
Liverpool win – A player with creativity
Arsenal win- Save bucket loads of cash and save a treatment table spot next to rosicky, and allow Jack to become a superstar
The only person that loses is ol’ twitchy down at spuds, and thats always great to see.
If i was a Liverpool fan, the amount and the length of the contract would concern me, As has been reported Liverpool aren’t the most rocksteady..finance wise and without the huge wads of Champions League cash, a contract of size could seriously hinder Hodgson’s rebuilding task in the future, next season theres 4 champions leage places and 6 teams geared towards it and the cash it brings with regards to wages and transfer fee’s, 2 are going to miss out, and if Liverpool do for the second year running, contracts like these will hurt immensly, and really are they odds on to finish in the top 4?
@ Scabber just out of curiosity what has what Joe Cole earns got to do with half of us (your words not mine) only earning 12k…. they have nothing to do with each other as far as im concerned. You wanna earn more money do something about it instead of b***@ing on forums……
Sorry, how exactly are Spurs the losers here? We have a far better left midfielder in Bale, centre midfielder in Modric and right midfielder in Lennon.
If we were going to buy a striker in the mould of a Fabiano and play 4-5-1 then maybe Cole could have got into the side, but id still rather play the aformentioned three behind a solo striker than try and move them around to accomodate a worse player in Cole.
Daniel Levy gets a fair bit of stick from some Spurs fans for our stringent wage budget, but its decisions like the Cole one that have allowed us to have our success recently-instead of blowing all our cash on players seeking one final pay day, we instead choose to sign the players who havent been decorated with all the honours in the world and are therefore hungry to achieve success with us-as a result you end up with a team in every sense of the word, and i wouldnt change that ethos for an injury prone player trying to take the piss with outrageous wage demands
maybe Stevie G promised not to have sex with a member of his family and that his house wouldn’t get burgled when away on Thursday nights in the Europa League.
just kidding……great choice of clubs he had.
@adam
I didn’t say spurs were the losers i said twitchy was.
He’s had a mancrush on Cole all summer telling us about how much he loves/wants to sign Cole, multiple times on sky sports and in papers, even today in the Sun he has an interview affirming his crush, he must be heart broken
I happen to agree with you, spuds are better off without him, unfortunately.