Golden Soft Sombrero Moment with Andy Cole

Former Manchester United champions league winner and  Fulham FC captain

Please a big FOUR DIEGOS welcome to Andy Cole

DIEGOS: ‘The Diegos must confess that the homely image of the Fulham Football Club – playing at the idyllic Craven Cottage in London – does make it one of the favorite Premiership clubs for the Four Diegos here in Australia.

The team’s performances this season however have been inconsistent – has this been a major source of frustration for Chris Coleman and the boys – particularly after having such a good year last year?

Cole: ‘Yes you could say that.

I think everyone has been very disappointed about the way we played this season.

Just finishing up above the relegation zone isn’t good but hopefully next season we’ll have a better season and finish up like we did the season before last.’

DIEGOS: ‘You are regarded as a real leader at Fulham and in goal scoring terms you are the top scorer at the club this season – but you have missed games through injury – how do you weigh up your performances this season?'

Cole: ‘You could say that I could be happy with the amount of goals of scored but as a professional you could never really be happy.

I always believe that I could’ve a few more goals.

Yes I’m happy but disappointed in some ways. I’ve come here and the manager has given me the responsibility to be my own man and a leader and I’ve enjoyed it.

There are not many leaders in the team though Lee Clark is a big leader and he gets everyone going.

Since I was given the captaincy I’ve really enjoyed it but I guess I still really enjoy playing and for me that’s the most important thing.

I wouldn’t say that the captaincy has improved my game though.

In football you’re always learning anyway. I think I rounded of all my rough edges when I played for Manchester United for so many years. Spending so much time there automatically makes you become a better player.

What I do now is try and play well for Fulham and help all the young kids playing in the team.’

DIEGOS: ‘One of your local rivals Chelsea won the premiership title in record making form this season.

People have been waiting on the self proclaimed ‘Special One’ Jose Mourinho and his multi million dollar team to fall over at some stage but it never happened.

What in your mind makes them such a successful team and what do the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and maybe even Fulham have to do to catch them next season?’

Cole: ‘I think they have great leadership qualities in the manager they have.

He’s got them together playing as a team. I think that is the most important thing. When you’re playing as a team you’ve always got a chance of winning things. Chelsea has done that comprehensively this season.

Winning back to back titles is very difficult though and that’s why I believe Manchester United and Arsenal will be back up there next season trying to take it away from Chelsea. It will be difficult for Chelsea to retain the Championship because they always say it’s harder to retain it than win it.

Chelsea is a very different side under Jose Mourinho than Claudio Ranieri.

Mourinho has made them very organized and play in a very Latin way. They are a team that is happy to go a goal up because they don’t concede many goals. Defensively they are very solid and very hard to break down.

I think last season with Ranieri in charge there was always a chance of getting a result, this season has been totally different.’

DIEGOS: ‘You of course are no stranger to playing football in Australia. In your time at Man U you were part of a pretty eventful tour here a few years ago.

There was a clash between you and Socceroo Simon Colosimo that left him out of the game for a lengthy period of time. It was all very acrimonious back then but happily Simon’s back playing and doing well – what were your memories of that tour and in particular that incident?

Cole: ‘I think the tour was very successful. Manchester United went to Australia to do the right thing and I think the club came away with great credit.

As for the incident I can’t remember much about it to be honest.

What I do remember is that I did nothing with the intention of hurting a fellow professional. One of two things was made out of it at the time but it all simmered down in the end because I’ve never tried to hurt another professional footballer.’

DIEGOS: ‘A former strike partner of yours Dwight Yorke has decided to pack his sunscreen and surfboard and play for Sydney FC in Australia’s new A-league next season.

Any chance that we’ll ever see Andy Cole doing a Neighbours tour and playing football Downunder sometime in the future?’

Cole: ‘You never know. You can never say never. I won’t shut the door on anything. I’ll just have to wait and see.

As far as my relationship with Dwight is concerned, away from the pitch we got on as good friends. On the pitch we just clicked naturally. We socialized quite a bit and that did help to get a great understanding on it.’

DIEGOS: ‘Your manager at Blackburn Rovers was the fiery Graham Souness.

There’s been plenty of stories about a falling out you had with him and more recently you were quoted calling him a bully ….have your problems with Souness been blown out of proportion or are the stories pretty spot on?

Cole: ‘I prefer not to talk about him. My relationship with is over now. Its water under the bridge and I’ve just moved on now. I’m doing my thing he can do his thing and that’s it.’

DIEGOS: ‘One of the favorite records in the Four Diegos record collection is your smash hit from a few years back called ‘Outstanding’.

Any chance that an album might be coming out soon?’

Cole: ‘No I don’t think so. I enjoyed doing it at the time. It was something different back then but unfortunately Diegos I won’t be doing any more.

Personally I like the R&B and rap and all that kind of stuff. I am very versatile when it comes to music to be fair but these days its listening not singing.’

Soft Sombrero Moment May 2005