By David Gold
November 18 – Lille midfielder Joe Cole has said that he would “love to play in the Olympics” if selected by Team GB manager Stuart Pearce.
Cole, who is on loan from Liverpool to the French champions, is not in the plans of current England coach Fabio Capello, and is unlikely to make his squad for the European Championships in Ukraine and Poland next summer.
That means that the 30-year-old would be a prime contender for the Team GB football team, for which Pearce is able to pick three players over the age of 23.
David Beckham is expected to be one of those three, but Cole has been in sparkling form since moving to France at the start of this season and would add both experience and class to the squad.
Speaking at a press conference, Cole said: “I would love to play in the Olympics.
“I would be very excited because it is in London, in East London where I started my football career.
“I love the Olympics, I love the sport.
“I’ve been trying to get tickets but it is very hard so I better get playing in it.”
The former West Ham United and Chelsea man said that the chance to line up alongside Beckham once again was one he was keen to take, saying that he is a “fantastic player who looks after himself, a technical, top player.”
With the former Manchester United and Real Madrid man looking likely to sign for Paris St Germain when his current contract with LA Galaxy expires, Cole is likely to line up against him before he finds himself on the same team as his former England team mate again.
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