Joe Cole

[supertom]

I think the issue is whether Cole is to supplement other signings or he's the most ambitious signing we get. If it's the former then I'm fine with it and I think he could be useful. If it's the latter then it's a slightly different matter. Either way though he's better than what we had available, so that's a good thing.

The most ambitious signing we get (if there is a more ambitious one) will probably be a loan.

Is Barry on a free?

I think he is now. Think his deal at City expires this month. He'll have half the Premiership chasing his signiture I'd imagine (not to mention offers from abroad). If we snag him we'll have done bloody well.

[pauliewalnuts]

Does he still live in, or have a house in, that place down the A435 towards Redditch? Pretty sure he used to live down on the left, past that garden centre.

If he wanted to "come home", we'd be in a good position if we could do the wages.

[Chico Hamilton III]

I hope I'm wrong and he turns out to have a blinding Indian Summer with us. Although I lost faith in Lambert long ago, and he seems to be desperately backtracking on his strategy, I'm prepared to give Cole a chance. I still want lambert out ASAP though.

I'm just glad we got Cole before Man City swooped - I hear they're desperate for West Ham substitutes.

[supertom]

Does he still live in, or have a house in, that place down the A435 towards Redditch? Pretty sure he used to live down on the left, past that garden centre.

If he wanted to "come home", we'd be in a good position if we could do the wages.

That's my hope too. Give him the wages that we freed up letting Ireland go. Job done. I think he'd come here for 50-60k for a couple of years.

[robbo1874]

Honestly don't see how this deal can be criticised until he's played a few games. At the very least, he'll be good experience for the younger talented players like grealish to learn from in training. If we assume there's no cash available until a takeover happens, can anyone think of a more positive signing than this, in terms of quality and experience v price?

I don't really look at it as a reversal of the young and hungry policy. More so that the clubs in limbo until a sale happens and lamberts trying to get experience to complement the very young squad we have. Most players that break through young and kick on, cite the influence of older heads in the squad that they learned from.

Look at like us having a Gordon cowans on the touch line and another one on the pitch.

[QBVILLA]

Cole appeared 20 times for West Ham last season. Tonev appeared 17 times for us. Now, whether or not you are a fan of our new signing I can't see there being many if any who would prefer Tonev in the side.
Keeping my glass half full here.

[Rolta]

FFS, here we go again.

I said he was going to be 35 IN THE LAST TWO THIRDS OF HIS FINAL SEASON, you pointed out it was 34. I would have thought it was obvious that was what I was referring to. I am not saying he's 34 now.

Incidentally, getting something wrong or making an error of arithmetic is not the same as "making things up"

How has he managed not to "be good" for the last three years, then? He has looked hopelessly past it.

Compare and contrast with the likes of Barry, who is the same age and has still looked like he can do it.

I fear he will be coasting because it's his last contract, and he's looked like he's coasting for several years now.

I understood you. The first thing I said to you was that you're looking for negatives, and I really think you are. And I'm only saying it because, I don't know, it makes me feel sad. We signed a 32 year old and you're worrying about what's going to happen next season, not this one, and I think you're going beyond yourself to find faults. I think when Lambert signs a 32 year old on a 2 year contract he has done so fully aware that he will be a short term fix. Joe Cole is here to do a job now.

[pauliewalnuts]

I know he's here, I am not looking to find faults, I am just expressing an opinion that his best years are worryingly behind him. It's what we do on here, talk about football and footballers, good and bad. The point about his age and the two year contract was about the fact that it's a mistake we've made in the past, it would be nuts to repeat it again.

Anyway, he's here, so we'll see who else we sign. I just hope that it's not going to be limited to this sort of signing. That way trouble lies.

[pauliewalnuts]

Cole appeared 20 times for West Ham last season. Tonev appeared 17 times for us. Now, whether or not you are a fan of our new signing I can't see there being many if any who would prefer Tonev in the side.
Keeping my glass half full here.

I see what you mean, but I'd opt for not having either of them play that many games.

We're drinking out of the wrong glass ;-)

[pauliewalnuts]

Does he still live in, or have a house in, that place down the A435 towards Redditch? Pretty sure he used to live down on the left, past that garden centre.

If he wanted to "come home", we'd be in a good position if we could do the wages.

That's my hope too. Give him the wages that we freed up letting Ireland go. Job done. I think he'd come here for 50-60k for a couple of years.

I don't think he'd get more than that elsewhere, would he?

[Chico Hamilton III]

Anyone know what he's getting paid?

[supertom]

Does he still live in, or have a house in, that place down the A435 towards Redditch? Pretty sure he used to live down on the left, past that garden centre.

If he wanted to "come home", we'd be in a good position if we could do the wages.

That's my hope too. Give him the wages that we freed up letting Ireland go. Job done. I think he'd come here for 50-60k for a couple of years.

I don't think he'd get more than that elsewhere, would he?

At his age no. But I would hope we can at least offer as much, or close to, what he'll get domestically. Of course he could still get one last mega pay day playing abroad, but I think he's still too good at this level to consider semi-retirement in somewhere like the MLS just yet. He should do another year or two in the Prem (with us hopefully) and then go abroad.

[nigel]

I know he's here, I am not looking to find faults, I am just expressing an opinion that his best years are worryingly behind him. It's what we do on here, talk about football and footballers, good and bad. The point about his age and the two year contract was about the fact that it's a mistake we've made in the past, it would be nuts to repeat it again.

Anyway, he's here, so we'll see who else we sign. I just hope that it's not going to be limited to this sort of signing. That way trouble lies.

Which brings us nicely back to:
What if we'd had the internet when we sold Andy Gray... 

[olaftab]

I am not happy about Joe Cole however he wears our shirt now so we need to stop debating his being here and look forward to something good from him in the coming season.
Time to close this thread and move on.

[pauliewalnuts]

I know he's here, I am not looking to find faults, I am just expressing an opinion that his best years are worryingly behind him. It's what we do on here, talk about football and footballers, good and bad. The point about his age and the two year contract was about the fact that it's a mistake we've made in the past, it would be nuts to repeat it again.

Anyway, he's here, so we'll see who else we sign. I just hope that it's not going to be limited to this sort of signing. That way trouble lies.

Which brings us nicely back to:
What if we'd had the internet when we sold Andy Gray... 

We'd still have bought him. it's a discussion forum, not an advisory panel to the club ;-)

And by the same definition, what if the internet had been around all the other times we bought older players who had done nothing for years, and did nothing for us either in the intervening 35 years?