Gerrard: Cole is as good as Messi

iverpool skipper Steven Gerrard claims Joe Cole is as good as - if not better than - Lionel Messi. The Reds star was seen as a key figure in persuading Cole to move to Anfield on a free transfer from Chelsea this summer.And Gerrard seems to have quite a high opinion of his new team-mate.Speaking to Match of the Day magazine, Gerrard said: "Messi can do some amazing things, but anything he can do Joe can do as well, if not better. "He used to shock us in training by doing footy tricks with a golf ball that most players can't even do with a football. "I really fancy Joe for the [player of the year] award this season."There were rumours about Gerrard's own future at the club this summer, but after meeting new manager Roy Hodgson, he committed himself to Liverpool."It's a great club and after speaking with Roy Hodgson I'm really pleased to see his plans for the club," said Gerrard."It's a new era now - we must forget about the horror of what happened last season and get this club back to where it belongs, which is the Champions League at the very least."

Source: Team_Talk