Cole's agents hit back
06 Sep 2006 - 11:38:35
Andrew Cole's representatives have reacted angrily to suggestions that the veteran striker threatened to retire if Manchester City refused to sell him to Portsmouth.
The 34-year-old signed a lucrative two-year deal with Pompey on deadline day after City surprisingly accepted a £500,000 bid from the Fratton Park outfit.
Citizens boss Stuart Pearce subsequently claimed that Cole's agent had left him with no choice, but to sanction the deal by indicating that the player would retire if he were forced to see out his contract at Eastlands.
However, a spokesman for the former England international's representatives, Proactive Sports Management, said: "It never was the case that either Andy or us on his behalf threatened that he would retire.
"Manchester City had no offer on the table until very late in the 11th hour.
"When they did produce an offer it came nowhere near to matching that made by Portsmouth."
Earlier Pearce had explained why he had sold Cole, just a year after signing him.
He told City's official website: "There were suggestions that the player might retire if I didn't let him go. After that was suggested to me what choice did I have?
"In terms of negotiations it was mentioned that this deal [from Portsmouth] was too good to turn down and it might be a case of the player retiring if we did not agree to the transfer.
"That came from the agent. It was a bit disappointing and as soon as you hear that then you just move on and say 'right okay'. We decided, myself, the chairman and the chief executive, to take the money on the player and move on."