Why exactly was Joe Cole so bad during his spell at Anfield? Some football observers may think it has something to do with the relative crapness of Joe Cole. But Joe Cole has a theory of his own. Essentially, Liverpool just didn't turn him.
He tells the Sun today:
"I can only play for teams that I’m passionate about and I think that’s what went wrong for me at Liverpool. I didn’t feel a connection with the club or the place that I had at Chelsea and West Ham. I had seven great years at Chelsea but the club wanted to go in a certain direction and I wasn’t involved. So I was left with two real options — Liverpool or Spurs. Spurs was probably the best option because they were offering me a five-year deal and it meant I could stay in familiar surroundings. But I just couldn’t do it, I just couldn’t see myself pulling that Spurs shirt over my head. With the rivalry between Spurs and West Ham and Chelsea, it felt a bit mercenary.”
Interesting that Cole's definition of mercenary does not include taking money from an employer you couldn't be bothered to work for.
