Cole just needs to 'feel loved'

01 August 2010 14:34
ew Liverpool recruit Joe Cole admits he needs to "feel loved" if he is to perform at his best on a regular basis.[LNB] The England midfielder admits that it was that desire to feel appreciated which led to his exit from Chelsea this summer.[LNB]He grew tired of being hauled off at every opportunity by a succession of coaches, with a lack of playing time giving him little chance to impress.[LNB]Once it became apparent that he was not going to get the playing time he craved, he decided to let his contract run down and leave on a free transfer.[LNB]Having made that call, he has since linked up with Liverpool and is excited by the challenges which lie ahead at Anfield.[LNB]Cole believes Reds boss Roy Hodgson will be the man to get him firing on all cylinders once more and is confident he will be a hit on Merseyside.[LNB]"The fans at Chelsea loved me and I can't thank them enough for that but I need to feel loved when I am on the pitch," he said in the News of the World.[LNB]"The manager has to want me there. I don't so much need an arm around the shoulder as for managers to remember that in the positions I play you are going to lose the ball sometimes. [LNB]"You only need to do one thing right; one clever pass, one little bit of skill that can change a game but to do that you need to feel relaxed and calm." [LNB]Meanwhile, Cole is also delighted to have played a part in helping to persuade talismanic skipper Steven Gerrard to stay on at Anfield.[LNB]He had been linked with a summer switch to Real Madrid, but Liverpool's transfer activity has convinced him that they have ambitious plans for the future.[LNB]"I hope that I did play a part in making Stevie stay," added Cole.[LNB]"Stevie knows what I can do. We have played together for England for 10 years right the way through. [LNB]"I am looking forward to playing alongside him and our relationship is going to be important. [LNB]"I will play anywhere, though I hope it is central with him - with one of us going forward and the other pivoting. [LNB]"I can't talk about tactics but the manager knows what I can do on the left and the right. But it will be nice to be close to him. [LNB]"At Liverpool this year is about consolidating and moving on. There are players here who will get into any team in the world. [LNB]"I had conversations with Stevie and 'Carra' and everything they said about Liverpool impressed me. We are a part of a club that can do something special. If you win a trophy here, one of the big ones, it will be immense."

Source: Team_Talk