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 Player Profile
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Sierra Leone International Football Academy - Est. 2007 |
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Carlton Michael Cole |
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| Alias: |
n/a |
| Date of Birth: |
11/12/1983 |
| Place of Birth: |
London, England |
| Position: |
Striker |
| Height: |
6' 3 |
| Previous Club: |
Chelsea |
| Current Club: |
West Ham |
| Country: |
England |
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| Honors: |
Carlton Cole's career has stalled after bursting onto
the scene as one of the most promising young strikers in the game. After
slipping down the pecking order at Chelsea, Cole had little option than
to move in search of first team football and joined West Ham for an
undisclosed fee in the summer of 2006.
Signing a four year deal, Cole failed to impress since his arrival and
faced a tough battle against the likes of Harewood, Zamora, Sheringham
and Dean Ashton for a regular place in the side.
The arrival of Argentinean Carlos Tevez added to the Hammers'
strikeforce and Cole was reduced to a role on the bench for most of the
2006/07 season.
Cole arrived on the scene with Chelsea towards the end of the 2001/02
season.He made his debut in the 3-0 home win over Everton at the start
of April before injuries earned him a first start in the trip to
Middlesbrough two weeks later. He duly obliged with the first goal of
the game after 38 minutes.
Cole began the 2002/03 season in the best possible way, coming off the
bench to equalise at Charlton as Chelsea went on to win 3-2.
However, the inspirational form of veteran Gianfranco Zola limited his
chances and towards the end of November 2002 he was forced to go out on
loan to First Division side Wolverhampton Wanderers. Cole scored once in
seven appearances before returning to Chelsea.
Just when it looked as though he would make the breakthrough at the
Bridge, Roman Abramovich arrived with his millions to bolster the
strikeforce with players such as Adrian Mutu and Hernan Crespo.
That led to to Cole going out on loan again, but this time he stayed in
the Premiership with Charlton to set-up a strike partnership with Paolo
di Canio.
His first Charlton goal came with a winner against Tottenham over
Christmas, and he went on to score only four goals in 2003/04.
Charlton agreed a deal to keep Cole for the 2004/05 term, but the player
indicated he would not be returning to the Valley. That allowed Aston
Villa to move him and take him for the campaign - Chelsea had to
compensate the Addicks as the Cole loan had been part of the deal which
took Scott Parker to Stamford Bridge.
Cole had a fantastic debut for Villa, scoring the second in a 2-0 home
win over Southampton and causing no end of problems.
He followed that performance up with two goals in the England Under-21s
victory over Ukraine a few days later.
The rest of his stay at Villa was not so fruitful, scoring only three
Premiership goals in 27 appearances for the club.
And on returning to Chelsea he found himself down the pecking order and
scraping around for appearances.
The signings of Salomon Kalou and Andriy Shevchenko in 2006 meant Cole
was facing a season in the reserves, and he decided to swap Stamford
Bridge for Upton Park, moving to West Ham.
Cole scored just 24 seconds into his debut against Charlton Athletic on
the opening day of the 2006/07 season, but has failed to hold down a
regular spot in the first team.
He started only 5 games in the season and looks to be a peripheral
figure in the squad, although the departure of Carlos Tevez may change
that in the 2007/08 campaign.
International career
Cole is of Nigerian and Sierra Leonean
descent via his parents but rejected the chance to play for either of
the national sides of these countries. He was a regular
member of the England Under 21 side, scoring six goals in 19
appearances, including two goals in the 3-1 win over Ukraine U21 in
August 2004. Peter Taylor, the then England U21 manager, felt that Cole
had "...the potential to break into the full England squad...".
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