Joe Cole has confessed that he would not have joined Liverpool if he could turn back time. He only left Chelsea because he felt his playing abilities were declining.
The 42 year old suffered a significant knee injury during an FA Cup match against Southend United in January 2009, which he identifies as a pivotal moment in his career. Despite being a lifelong Chelsea supporter, he departed from the club when his contract ended 18 months later.
Liverpool managed to outbid Tottenham Hotspur for the midfielder, securing him on a Bosman transfer and making him one of Roy Hodgson's initial signings. However, his tenure at the club, alongside Milan Jovanovic and Danny Wilson, who also failed to impress, was far from successful.
During his stint with the Reds, Cole only made 42 appearances, scoring five goals and providing four assists. After falling out of favour with Sir Kenny Dalglish, he was loaned to Lille following a disappointing first season but returned under Brendan Rodgers.
Despite this, he was allowed to join West Ham United on a free transfer just six months later in January 2013, even though he had another 18 months remaining on his contract.
Cole concedes that he would have preferred to remain at Chelsea. However, after recognising that he was no longer the same player post-injury, he believed it was best to leave Stamford Bridge and move to Liverpool.
Former team-mate John Obi Mikel's 'The Obi One' podcast brought to light a raw and touching experience when "(Contract) negotiations started and we were getting there, but then I done my knee," he reminisced. "I was nearly 29 or just turned 29 (when I left)."
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"I done my knee and that was probably the start of the end of my career because I was never the same player after that. I done everything, ACL, PCL, MCL, and I was out for 11 months."
He went on to reveal how this injury had a devastating impact on his contract negotiations, "It hurt me but in hindsight, Chelsea were right, from a business perspective. They stopped the negotiations to see how I was when I came back... so from being in a really strong position to negotiate a contract, doing my knee, Chelsea pulled back from negotiations."
Returning to play under Carlo Ancelotti in October highlighted further difficulties, "Then I come back in October time. By this time, Carlo (Ancelotti) had come into the club... I was coming in off the bench, playing well, but it was hard to break back into the team."
His hopes rose with the Africa Cup of Nations, "The guys went away to the Africa Cup of Nations in the January. I knew I'd have a chance to play regularly. I played every game, six, seven or eight games in a row, played really well and then they started, 'We can offer you this new contract.' It wasn't at what it was before."
Sadly, his own physical state thwarted his ambitions, "My ego got involved a little bit and football was more of a struggle. I would play, knee would blow up. I couldn't do certain things that I used to be able to do. I needed an ice pack (after every game on my knee), I was in a lot of pain... it's very rare you get back to where you were.
"And then they stopped the negotiations. But Carlo actually wanted me to stay. I believe Carlo because he's a good, decent human. He said, 'I want to play you but Kalou and Malouda are playing so well.'
"I'm sensible enough to know that they're playing well. I don't knock on the manager's door if they're not. But I was playing well when I played as well, that's why we won the double. Everyone was doing their bit.."
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As he recalled further, "It got to the end of the season... my body was just failing me... it was a title-decider up at Old Trafford and I started. We had to win the game, we couldn't draw otherwise we'd lose the league, and I pulled my back right in the last two minutes (of training).."
"I scored... We won the game but I don't think I could train for three or four days afterwards. I really wrecked myself. That's how my body was after it."
He shared, "Something subconsciously clicked and I thought to myself, 'I'm never going to get (back) to the player I was. I've got to leave.' Because I don't want to finish my Chelsea career, just sitting there on the injury table."
Pondering his switch to Liverpool, Cole divulged why he ultimately opted for Anfield. Yet looking back, he confessed he wished he had moved overseas instead.
"I had a choice between Liverpool or Spurs because Arsenal pulled out and I just couldn't go to Spurs," he admitted. "I just couldn't go.
"It would have made sense, Harry Redknapp was the manager, they had a good team, I lived in London, half my pals are Spurs fans. I just couldn't do it.
"My daughter was just born and Liverpool is a great club. It didn't work for me there but it is a fantastic club, an institution globally.
"But if I could have my time again, I would probably go, 'No, you know what, wait.' And I'd have gone abroad, somewhere hot, because playing in the heat actually helped my knee.
"Because after that I went to Liverpool, West Ham, Villa. I had a good season in France, but with my knee, I was just managing my injuries. Managing to still play, play well sometimes but never really consistently like I had been. I never played for England again after 2010.
"Then when I went to America, it was like a miracle. Living in the sun, my knee was like 60-70%. It's still not right now but I could still play. It was like a miracle.
"If I could have hindsight, I would have gone abroad somewhere hot, maybe Spain or Southern Italy somewhere, and I think I could have played at the top level for a little bit longer."
He added: "Ultimately, I wasn't the same player after that knee injury. That's sad but I had a long career.."
"The only regret I have, and it's nothing I could do anything about, I think to myself, if I hadn't done my knee at Southend, and I could have had another five, six or seven years at Chelsea, I think I would have won the Champions League with the lads in 2012.
"But there's nothing you can do about it. I started playing professional football in the Premier League at 17, and got smashed to bits. By the time I was 29, I was just an old car and the fan belt had run out! The knee was gone, I was a Ford Cortina by the end! ".
