So…I’m just guessing this…but…I’m going to say that:
You don’t like Ashley Cole.
Your friends don’t like Ashley Cole.
Your dog probably doesn’t like Ashley Cole.
And now that you’ve heard that he’s signed on to play in Top Tier American Soccer…
You probably don’t like Ashley Cole more.
I’m also guessing you support a franchise that probably can’t afford or doesn’t have the chops to find high profile European players and bring them Stateside.
That’s cool. I guess.
I’m guessing that if you’re an Arsenal fan You don’t like Ashley Cole. Ok.
Or maybe you’re a Chelsea fan…who knows?
“Ashley is a top-class player, and I know him very, very well. Definitely one of the best left backs in the game for the last 15 years, there’s no question. I think it’s important that we get players like Ashley Cole in here. If you look at last year in terms of goals we conceded, it was definitely way too much. The guys coming in will certainly help us at the back.”
That’s not me saying that. That’s Robbie Keane.
“I don’t want to add any unnecessary pressure to Ashley, and I’m sure he could handle it anyway, but I think it’s a masterstroke by the club. He’s very professional. He’s hungry. He loves the game…. Ashley is a world-class defender, and he’s still got a lot to offer, so I think it’s a very good bit of business.”
Not me either. Steven Gerrard said that.
Now I know people. Including some people on TV who just hate the idea that Ashley Cole is here in America and “The money we spend on him is too much and it could go somewhere else” “someone better!”
According to Kevin Baxter of the LA Times- LA Galaxy signings of free transfers De Jong, Ashley Cole and Jelle Van Damme cost team less than $1.7 million combined. So We can throw out the “I don’t like him cos he’s overpriced” reason you don’t like him….because well…frankly…he’s not!
Omar Gonzalez was paid around $1.4 million last season. Quite honestly not his best either. I didn’t hear many complaints. But Most people actually like Gonzalez so why would they complain?
Of course there are folks that think Ashley Cole is not that good anymore. Mainly because he didn’t play matches in Italy. Of course, I dare say, I lot of people who say that probably don’t watch Italian Soccer enough or at all for most people to give them much credit. I like to counter that sort of argument with Jozy Altidore was an abysmal failure at Sunderland yet no one had any problems with him coming back to America. Michael Bradley couldn’t buy a match at Aston Villa. I know I know-Those two are much younger than Ashley Cole.
The Guardian writes “…probably one of the least heralded of (England’s Golden Generation), and certainly the least popular with the neutral punter….for a good chunk of the Noughties and beyond, Ashley Cole was probably the best left-back on the planet.
I tend to agree with that and even go as far as saying he’ll probably be the best left-back plying his trade in America…when he gets here.
It’s just that you don’t like him.
Cole was England’s most consistent player during Euro 2004, World Cup 2006, and World Cup 2010. He played well for both club and country. His form didn’t falter and I remember that the US didn’t trouble him in the 2010 World Cup meeting. A couple of those guys play here.
Cole is also a winner. 3 Premier League Trophies, 7 FA Cups, 1 League Cup, 3 Community Shields, A Europa Trophy and Champion League Trophy. The guy’s won everything but the World Cup!
But I get it. You just don’t like him.
So we have an inexpensive player with bags of experience, with a full trophy room, with a desire to play in America…
“Hopefully the LA fans will warm up to me,” Cole told LA Galaxy.com “I know that it won’t be easy at the start, of course, but if I can just prove to them that I’m not here for a holiday, I’m here to work, I’m here to win things.
With gas left in the tank,
“I know that I’m 35, I’m not 21 anymore, so I have to understand that my body is not how it was years ago. I stay fit as much I can. I train as hard as I can, and I hope that I can bring trophies to the team. I hope to do that. In terms of proving people wrong, I’ve done that my entire career. I’ve always wanted to prove to people that I can play.
And you don’t like him.
So there’s only one thing for Ashley Cole to do.
“It’s a great time in his career to just shut up his critics and play,” – Bruce Arena
