[Archived] Andy Cole

[dave birch]

Riml, was he forced out, possibly, but maybe for different reasons that you state.

How about this scenario:

Cole is entering the twighlight of his career.

He hasn't scored that many goals relative to the number of games played (for the Rovers)

He is on a very high wage per week plus a loyalty bonus

The Board/ Manager are looking at every penny that might (in their thoughts) be better placed in some player for the future

The Cole of last year (as some have suggested in other threads about other players) might not be able to hack it in the way that he did last season, thus only scoring, say 5 goals. How would we feel then?

On the basis of my argument, then getting rid of Cole is not as bad. Yep, it's a risk, but wasn't it a risk for RFW to get rid of Cole from Manure?

Isn't it a risk for any manager to get rid of any player, because it might have been the "off season"?

It's as risky of signing Dickov, and Dickov might score 20 or he might score 0

[den]

On the basis of my argument, then getting rid of Cole is not as bad. Yep, it's a risk, but wasn't it a risk for RFW to get rid of Cole from Manure?

Fergie had the money to replace Cole, apart from the £7m we gave them. That wasn't as much of a risk as rovers letting him go for free and having Dickov as a replacement, Dave.

If we can find money to bring in a quality, experienced striker before the transfer deadline, then fair enough. We will see.

[dave birch]

Den, if we had the chance of the right striker coming to Ewood, then the money would be there.

I'm not suggesting that Dickov isthe replacement, but he might score 0 or he might score 20, it's a risk, as is any signing for any club.

Edited July 18, 2004 by dave birch

[bob fleming]

The slating he's receiving from some quaters is ironic but yet so predictable isn't it Rev.

Yes - of course it bloody well is. What do you expect? 101 reasons why he should stay when clearly he's going anyway? Sorry but I'm hardly likely to talk a player up when he's leaving our club am I. Isn't it called human nature or something.

Fine. He's going. Whatever. He put a really good contribution in at the back end of last season but if anyone would like to explain why we should pay someone in excess of £50k a week (oh yeah, that only came out last week didn't it- perhaps that's another reason for this predictability) for what probably amounts to 15 good performances a season then I'm all ears. 11 goals last season. In the amongst the Top 15 strikers in the Country!! Goodness me - go get another wheelbarrow and quick.

Reasons for not jumping on a "Cole out" bandwagon have already been discussed. Personally I see little point in this sort of thing at the best of times, but what makes this departure so frustrating is that we know he can do it. Only a brave man would drop Cole - knowing darned well he'll probably score next game anyway (and you may come in for a bit of stick on here as well ). But......

Potentially he's still up there with the best of them. But you get nothing for potential - he's got to produce - by and large he hasn't.

I just happen to think that the money can be best spent elsewhere on another forward.

[Manchester Blue]

Spot on that Bob. I would have had no problem with Cole staying but can't see how we could have expected anything more than barely double figures for his goal return based on the last few years. 55k a week is a lot of money for that many goals. In fact hasn't Yorke scored about the same amount as him over the last 2 seasons and yet people can't wait to see the back of him.

[BRFC4EVA]

While i did want Andy Cole to stay, he has had 2 very poor seasons for Blackburn. The first season he was amazing, 13 goals in 19 games to not only keep us in the prem (worth 20m), but also to win the worthy cup (5m). Since then he has been very ordinary. Just 13 goals the season after, in a team which finished in 6th place which was a poor haul indeed. Cole himself basically admitted that he was crap. Last season, he only managed 10 goals despite the fact he played every game he was fit in.

So personnally, i wanted him to stay, but you can't blame either Souness or the board for wanting a change, not least cos of last 2 years of performance but also the chance to get his 60K a week wages off the bill (that is stupid money btw).

If Cole tries to get more money off us in compensation, he will very quickly be made unwelcome by fans at Ewood Park.

[roversWASmylife]

The statistics don’t lie there.

Cole did play well for the second half of last season but if Cole has been thrown out like he has, why not do it to Yorke and Todd?

In my opinion it’s Souness getting his own back.

I see the reasons, dave birch, Manchesterblue and others. But you have to agree, Cole probably along with Stead were our best players last season. Cole for several game ran his socks off, starved of service yet against Leeds when the chips were down, it was Cole yet again running his socks off, chasing down lost causes.

I wish Cole the best in the remainder of his career. He contributed to our success in Cardiff, helped us get UEFA Football, be it a small sample, and with his goals we could be organising the beers for after the Burnley game.

If we get a replacement then fine, we’ll judge him over the season; however I’m not convinced that Dickov is the man to replace Cole.

[dave birch]

Riml, Was Cole better when Stead was there than pre Stead?

If you answered yes, then maybe Stead was the catalyst for the improvement in Cole's game.

The point I was trying to make, was that Cole is going to be that much slower, that much older, and he was costing the Rovers that much more money.

He had to go at some stage. It's not as though he was at the top of his game.

[roversWASmylife]

The statistics don’t lie there.

Cole did play well for the second half of last season but if Cole has been thrown out like he has, why not do it to Yorke and Todd?

In my opinion it’s Souness getting his own back.

I understand the points that you have raised.

dave birch – Yes, Cole did a lot better when Stead arrived. As I said earlier, that Cole had a better second half to the season.

Cole, realised he had competition for his place, but Stead and Cole played well together, not just individually.

In my opinion I am disappointed that Cole has been “forced out.” Things happen for a reason.

However I still feel that even if Cole wasn’t going to get a huge amount of goals for next season he still had a major part to play in the team.

I would like to see the replacement for Cole, if he’s good and will score more goals, then fine.

[Parasyte]

WOuld Cole have renewed his contract if he stayed with us anyway? He probably would have retired or moved on anyway, so really, we have saved ourselves a helluva lot of wages and a loyalty bonus - dont get me wrong, would ratehr stayed, but there upsides to this I hope JW and GS take full advantage of.

[Scotty]

Riml, Was Cole better when Stead was there than pre Stead?

If you answered yes, then maybe Stead was the catalyst for the improvement in Cole's game.

I think Stead did improve Cole's game. Cole has always done well at Rovers when he's had an energetic partner to play alongside - someone who can move defenders around and give Cole a bit of space. Unfortunately, for a large part of Cole's stay at Ewood, Souness played Cole with Yorke who hardly moved a muscle most of the time. It was, therefore, easier for defenders to mark Cole and nullify his effectiveness.

Which is why I was looking forward to seeing Cole play a full season with Stead. I really thought they could have been a brilliant partnership together - similar to the Cole and Jansen partnership that did so well in Cole's first season here. I think it's a tragedy for the club that we're not going to see that now.

[Lathund]

Cole did play well for the second half of last season but if Cole has been thrown out like he has, why not do it to Yorke and Todd?

Because the club is waiting for someone to come in for Yorke. Had the club released Cole on a free they'd probably have had to pay him his severance payment and maybe half his remaining wages. Same thing with Yorke, even if he doesn't have a severance payment and his wages are lower, it'll still cost a lot. As for Todd, Souness knows he can get at least some money, and he had been offered £250k already, so he's just waiting for a higher bid. If a higher bid doesn't come in, then I think he'll go for £250k.

[1864roverite]

appears to loads of offers coming in for him doesn't there ?

[USABlue]

Interesting that so many "Cole is crap and we're well rid" opinions have suddenly appeared from nowhere - and such passionately held views as well! These opinions must have been festering for a very long time, given that there has been no new news about Cole's ability since the end of the season.

Did I miss the "Cole must go" thread at the end of last season? Oh, there wasn't one. I wonder why?

Maybe their views were already being expressed in an existing thread? So I have just leafed through the entire Dickov thread to see how many of the sages were predicting, or at least advocating, this being the chance to get rid of the usless waster, and yes, you've guessed it - not one person advanced such a view, including many of the most vociferous Cole critics on this thread.

So where did their new found insight and passionately held opinions come from? Of course it couldn't possibly be related to a tendency for some individuals to argue that everything Souness does is inspired management.

Full marks though to Kiwiwannabe for posting a BBC quote very early on in the thread that Dickov would be above Cole in the pecking order (another missed chance for the Cole critics to pitch in.)

And well done to the 18 posters who expressed horror at the concept of Dickov replacing Cole, and are sticking to that view on this thread.

EIT, have you not been following along? Cole has come under fire from members of this board on countless occassions, usually in after match threads. No I don't think we ever had a thread devoted to him but I know I have complained abut him, particularly his inability to stay on side on scores of occasions. Yet others knocked him even when I thought his game had been good.

There has been no comments on his ability since the end of the season because he finished the season on a high, which to me is now beginning smell of effort being put in to serve Andy Cole. Put himself in the shop window so to speak, I think he had a pretty good idea he wanted to force a move. Maybe, just maybe Cole had this figured out, give max effort for the last few games, take summer off pick up the inflated cheque through summer return to Brockhall, have a bust up with the boss get the hell out. Thats all speculation on my part of course, hypothetical.

No it is not just a case of defending Souness, the same could be said of those saying Cole must stay but in Anti Souness terms. There have been posters who have moaned about Cole who are now saying he must stay.

Out of boredom I watched again the Fulham game again, paid particular attention to Mr Cole, tell you what, other than the goal and one nice pass I saw diddly squat from him. With hindsight now there is a very interesting incident in that game, after Cole had scored Souness gave Cole a big smile and a thumbs up, Cole does not smile back or anything just gives a mean glare towards the bench.

It's best for the team as a whole that Cole goes. Is he a good player, I tink he is (rather can be when he wants) is he a team player? don't think so, is he worth what he's being paid, absolutely not. Last but not least, each of the last two seasons we have created plenty of chances, had Cole scored with a better strike ratio perhaps we would have been looking at Champs league instead of EuFA and never been in a relegation battle last season. I am not really saying Cole MUST go, I have said it before. All I am saying is if he goes it's no big deal.

Edited July 18, 2004 by USABlue

[Eddie]

Excellent post USA Blue. Even though I'm pro-Cole I suppose, I totally agree

[USABlue]

I'm surprised I haven't read a full and unreserved apology to 'master of the football scoop' Alan Nixon in amongst all the Cole talk after some of the early comments on this thread!

He may get a bad press amongst members of the board, and probably rightly so in some cases, but the last 2 stories I've heard attributed to him (Duff and Cole sale) both turned out to be true.

His last story before the Cole one was that we have a £10million transfer kitty this summer. When that one comes true I will hold my hand up.

That story is true, we have invested 10 mil in that pussy Cole and he is going to be transferred, sounds accurate to me.

[Blueboy Downunder]

usa

just a note on the bit about andy being offside, countless times..

he almost certainly was, and people rightly where getting really frustrated but in andy's defence....he makes a run, which his midfield team mates spot, but they don't play the ball straight away and only when it is too late i.e. when coley has got into an offside possy do they decide to play the ball to him.....now if they played the passes when he makes those runs he would not get flagged offside nowhere near as many times and folks on this board would have to find somebody else to whinge about

[neophox]

Cole has to stay, he's class.....I hope he stay.

If he'll leave I'm sure he'll be scoring alot of goals for Fulham and we will be ###### off...

[Tris]

usa

just a note on the bit about andy being offside, countless times..

he almost certainly was, and people rightly where getting really frustrated but in andy's defence....he makes a run, which his midfield team mates spot, but they don't play the ball straight away and only when it is too late i.e. when coley has got into an offside possy do they decide to play the ball to him.....now if they played the passes when he makes those runs he would not get flagged offside nowhere near as many times and folks on this board would have to find somebody else to whinge about

tut tut tut

You'd think a player of Andy Cole's experience would've learnt to time his runs a bit better by now.

Oh well, he's left the dross behind now.

Let's see how he fares with the world class midfield down at Craven Cottage. Maybe they'll all be tuned into "whingers wavelength".

[neophox]

Dickov can't be a replacement for Cole.....joke.

[USABlue]

your another who has forgot,stead was a after thought after that prolific yank mcbride went to foolham

An afterthought that we had been tracking for 12 Months. You can't even give credit for Rovers having the balls to make the move when two or three other Premeirship managers have admitted they did not have the cahounas to take the chance.

[USABlue]

usa

just a note on the bit about andy being offside, countless times..

he almost certainly was, and people rightly where getting really frustrated but in andy's defence....he makes a run, which his midfield team mates spot, but they don't play the ball straight away and only when it is too late i.e. when coley has got into an offside possy do they decide to play the ball to him.....now if they played the passes when he makes those runs he would not get flagged offside nowhere near as many times and folks on this board would have to find somebody else to whinge about

True I am sure but a footballing "legend" such as Cole perhaps should have been able to adapt. On the other foot it is easy to say Cole broke too early making it impossible for the person supplying the pass to make it and too easy for the defence to read and move forward to put Cole in an offside position. Perhaps Cole is just too predictable. Bottom line for me is that he should have been able to adjust and for a top class stiker he should have scored more, he had the chances he just could not finish them.

I find it amusing that people here seem to blame everyone else for Coles failures, it's beginning to sound a lot like Cole is only an average player unless he is surrounded be World Class player to carry his defficiencies don't you think.

[USABlue]

Did I miss the "Cole must go" thread at the end of last season? Oh, there wasn't one. I wonder why?

There wasn't one.

There was however a "player of the year" poll in which Cole came a very narrow 2nd behind Steadinho.

But now Souey has offloaded Cole so as usual in the eyes of most*

Cole was never any good anyway.

*Tris being an honourable exception.

Haven't you had several goes at Mr Cole Rev.

[Craigman]

On SSN He has signed a 2 year contract with Fulham

[jim mk2]

Cole has now officially signed for Fulham on a two-year contract.