From West Ham to Chelsea and later to Liverpool, that was the journey of former England international Joe Cole who announced his retirement from professional football last night.
Joe Cole is a household name in Stamford Bridge and one name that has always been in the mind of Chelsea faithfuls.
After playing for two decades, the 37-year-old could no longer cope with the stress that accompany the game, hence, he decides to call it to quit on his successful career.
Playing until 37 years of age isn’t a small achievement, therefore, Joe Cole deserves to be applauded and celebrated. This is why we would be dedicating this post to celebrate a man who passed through some long-term injuries during his career.
Who is Joe Cole
Born on the 8th of November 1981 in England, Cole became a professional footballer at West Ham in 1999. He was initially deployed at the right wing of attack but due to his versatility, he was used as an attacking midfielder by the London club.
He spent five seasons with the Hammers, appearing in 126 matches in which he scored 34 goals.
Despite his goals, the Hammers were relegated to lower division leaving Joe Cole no other option but to seek a move to another Premier League club.
Chelsea came calling for his services in 2003 and after a lot of talks, the England star joined the Blues for £6.6 million during Claudio Ranieri’s reign.
Chelsea
Joe continues to improve his overall performances for the Blues as he managed 35 Premier League caps, scoring a goal in his first season at Stamford Bridge.
After seven years of playing for Chelsea, Joe Cole racked up 182 caps scoring 28 goals and many assists.
He left West London for Merseyside in 2010 when he left the Blues to join Liverpool as a free agent.
Liverpool
His Liverpool career wasn’t the best he hoped for as he was sparingly used by Roy Hodgson.
After failing to get a spot in the club’s starting lineup, Hodgson decided to cash-in on his signature by loaning him out to Ligue 1 side Lille in the 2011-12 season where he was Eden Hazard’s teammate.
However, Joe Cole reportedly regretted his decision to join the Merseyside club, claiming he had no connection with the fans and the team as a whole.
He played just 26 matches for the Reds, scoring three goals.
After some spell at West Ham, Lille, Coventry City, Aston Villa, and Tampa Bay Rowdies, Joe Cole played 513 club matches with 73 goals to show for it.
Trophies Won
In his seven years Chelsea, Joe Cole helped the Blues win seven trophies, including three Premier League glory; two FA Cup ; One Football League Cup and a FA Community Shield.
Achievements
One of his achievements was winning Chelsea’s player of the year award which he did in the 2007-08 season.
He equally served as role model to young and upcoming stars.
There are more to write about this legend but let’s put an end to it for now. We wish Joe Cole a happy life after football.
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