It's quite interesting the career of Joe Cole. From a teenage prodigy at West Ham, he progressed through the youth system and was hailed as a shining star in England who could potentially lead the team to World Cup glory. Manchester United offered to buy him as a 16 year-old and comparisons were made with another famous English legend, Paul Gascoigne.
Cole was known for his gifted technical ability, someone who could prise open a tight defence with a deft pass or a quicky shiftie. This was all the more valuable in the England international set-up, with lesser technical players of that ilk and more who are physically & pace-inclined. In 2003, it came as no surprise as top club Chelsea secured his services. He had a generally successful spell at Chelsea, proving to the nation his worth and winning league & cup championships along the way.
But then it kinda went downhill from there. Injury problems and lack of fitness seemed to hamper him, and he found himself in and out of the Chelsea line-up. He also seemed to find himself lost in rotation among the galaxy of stars at newly-rich Chelski, and found himself lower & lower down the pecking order. Liverpool came calling to sign him in 2010. There were big hopes for him to 'resurrect' his career, and he was given the revered No. 10 shirt at Anfield (I also bought his Liverpool jersey, actually).
But he seldom could recapture the form of his earlier years. Not able to influence the game significantly on the offensive end and not being the best natural defender, Cole found himself deemed surplus to Liverpool's needs. Quite shockingly (to me, at least), Cole found himself shipped out on loan to a foreign country, France's Lille. It's like no-one then heard anything about him anymore, and an England recall was miles away.
After about a season-long loan, Cole returned to Liverpool and played bit parts at the start of the 2012-13 season. Just days ago, he returned to where it all started: West Ham United, on a free transfer. Imagine this: once one of the brightest young stars in English football, a dynamic attacking midfielder with 56 England caps, played in the biggest games with Chelsea, and now on a free-transfer to a mid-table team West Ham United.
His debut for his new team was as unpredictable as his career has been. He played well and created both goals with crosses that were headed in by defender James Collins; as West Ham nearly caused a huge upset in the F.A Cup third round tie with Manchester United, no less. One thing for sure about Joe Cole: wherever he goes, there's nothing that's ever too certain.
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