Post by jenelle on Jun 22, 2006 17:09:41 GMT
With all the bad publicity footballers get, it's pretty refreshing talking with Ashley Cole. Arsenal are blessed to have a gifted young player who isn't primarily motivated by money.
The 20-year-old defender was brought up as part of a one-parent family in the tough area of Tower Hamlets. That upbringing has made him determined to succeed.
To make any kind of mark in such a cut-throat sport is hard enough. To attempt it at a club like Arsenal with its international stars makes Cole's emergence all the more laudable.
But Cole played so well when he came in for the injured left-back Silvinho last season, that he had made the position his own by the time the Brazilian had recovered.
Such was Cole's impact that manager Arsene Wenger is now ready to release the gifted Silvinho for ?12million with a number of clubs on the Continent interested.
England manager Sven- Goran Eriksson was so impressed with the progress of Cole that the left-back can look forward to next year's World Cup finals - providing we qualify - just two years after graduating from Arsenal's youth team.
Cole's emergence has also laid to rest the theory that Wenger is distrustful of homegrown talent.
An English player yet to celebrate his 21st birthday has enabled Wenger to allow a Brazilian international, signed for ?4m from Corinthians, to leave.
Cole, who is with Arsenal at their training camp on the Austrian-German border, is not driven by money.
Yes, he earns a good living thanks to a new contract signed at the start of last season and has been able to move to his own house and buy a new car.
But he has not demanded an increase to his wages to acknowledge his progress in the past 12 months.
"There has been no pay rise or anything," said Cole. "I think that if I do well this season then, maybe, but to be honest I am not concerned about that at the moment.
"Money may be important in some people's eyes but I am young and I am here to play football. If I keep doing well then perhaps the money will come then. The club have looked after me very well and they have given me my chance. I just want to make the most of it."
Cole is more interested in building on the foundations of last season and acknowledges that the one ahead will be more taxing
"It is good to have people like Tony Adams around. He and the other senior players are always giving me advice - and stick! They are always taking the mickey out of me but that is like a compliment," he said.
"What I have to try and do is progress from last season. It is going to be harder now, I know that. People are expecting things from me. They don't expect me to make mistakes now. All I can do is what I have always done - work harder and harder to make myself a better player.
"What was really good about last season was that I didn't get overawed as much as I thought I would. It seemed that everyone I came up against was bigger than me - by reputation and physically. I had to try to deal with that. It should be easier this season."
Despite the imminent departure of Silvinho, Cole knows that if he slips up there are other players who can take his place.
Dutch international Giovanni van Bronckhorst was one of five players signed by Wenger in the summer and the former Rangers man has a sweet left foot and has filled the left-back role with ease on occasions.
However, Cole is more concerned with the rich promise of the season rather than possible contenders for his left-back role.
The Champions League, the Premiership and the FA Cup beckon along with England games. "We have strengthened the squad and hopefully this should be our season," he said.
After the agonies of finishing runnersup to Manchester United, having the FA Cup snatched from Arsenal's grasp by Liverpool and a Champions League exit in the quarter-finals, Cole is chasing his golden reward - but as a medal rather than in cash.
The 20-year-old defender was brought up as part of a one-parent family in the tough area of Tower Hamlets. That upbringing has made him determined to succeed.
To make any kind of mark in such a cut-throat sport is hard enough. To attempt it at a club like Arsenal with its international stars makes Cole's emergence all the more laudable.
But Cole played so well when he came in for the injured left-back Silvinho last season, that he had made the position his own by the time the Brazilian had recovered.
Such was Cole's impact that manager Arsene Wenger is now ready to release the gifted Silvinho for ?12million with a number of clubs on the Continent interested.
England manager Sven- Goran Eriksson was so impressed with the progress of Cole that the left-back can look forward to next year's World Cup finals - providing we qualify - just two years after graduating from Arsenal's youth team.
Cole's emergence has also laid to rest the theory that Wenger is distrustful of homegrown talent.
An English player yet to celebrate his 21st birthday has enabled Wenger to allow a Brazilian international, signed for ?4m from Corinthians, to leave.
Cole, who is with Arsenal at their training camp on the Austrian-German border, is not driven by money.
Yes, he earns a good living thanks to a new contract signed at the start of last season and has been able to move to his own house and buy a new car.
But he has not demanded an increase to his wages to acknowledge his progress in the past 12 months.
"There has been no pay rise or anything," said Cole. "I think that if I do well this season then, maybe, but to be honest I am not concerned about that at the moment.
"Money may be important in some people's eyes but I am young and I am here to play football. If I keep doing well then perhaps the money will come then. The club have looked after me very well and they have given me my chance. I just want to make the most of it."
Cole is more interested in building on the foundations of last season and acknowledges that the one ahead will be more taxing
"It is good to have people like Tony Adams around. He and the other senior players are always giving me advice - and stick! They are always taking the mickey out of me but that is like a compliment," he said.
"What I have to try and do is progress from last season. It is going to be harder now, I know that. People are expecting things from me. They don't expect me to make mistakes now. All I can do is what I have always done - work harder and harder to make myself a better player.
"What was really good about last season was that I didn't get overawed as much as I thought I would. It seemed that everyone I came up against was bigger than me - by reputation and physically. I had to try to deal with that. It should be easier this season."
Despite the imminent departure of Silvinho, Cole knows that if he slips up there are other players who can take his place.
Dutch international Giovanni van Bronckhorst was one of five players signed by Wenger in the summer and the former Rangers man has a sweet left foot and has filled the left-back role with ease on occasions.
However, Cole is more concerned with the rich promise of the season rather than possible contenders for his left-back role.
The Champions League, the Premiership and the FA Cup beckon along with England games. "We have strengthened the squad and hopefully this should be our season," he said.
After the agonies of finishing runnersup to Manchester United, having the FA Cup snatched from Arsenal's grasp by Liverpool and a Champions League exit in the quarter-finals, Cole is chasing his golden reward - but as a medal rather than in cash.