Month: July 2013

Ashley Cole is an English professional football player who currently plays for London club Chelsea and is also the regular left back for the England national team.

According to many football writers, critics, fans as well as his fellow professionals, Cole is seen as one of the best left backs of his generation and is seen as an able protégé for the Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos who made the term ‘marauding wing back’ a reality in modern football.

Ashley Cole is an English professional football player who currently plays for London club Chelsea and is also the regular left back for the England national team.

According to many football writers, critics, fans as well as his fellow professionals, Cole is seen as one of the best left backs of his generation and is seen as an able protégé for the Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos who made the term ‘marauding wing back’ a reality in modern football.

Cole spent his youth career at North London side Arsenal before being handed his debut by manager Arsene Wenger when he turned 18 years old in 1998. He spent the 1999/2000 season on loan at another London club Crystal Palace where he was seen as one of the stars of a struggling side and when he returned from his successful loan spell, he immediately nailed down a first team spot at Arsenal going on to make over 150 league appearances for the North London side.

Ashley Cole was part of the famous ‘Invincible’ side of the club that went an entire league season unbeaten and he finished with two Premier League and three FA Cup titles under his belt with the Gunners. During the summer of 2006, according to the football blog, Cole made a highly controversial and protracted transfer deal to London rivals Chelsea and he has had unprecedented success at the club since then, leading them to four FA Cup titles, a Premier League title as well as one UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League title.

Having made his debut with the England national team in 2001, Ashley Cole has gone on to make 103 appearances for the Three Lions and has represented the team in three FIFA World Cups and two European Championships as well, adding to his already glittering CV as a professional.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is regarded as one of the best in the Premier league, and he is right up there when it comes to the best in the world as well. He was one of the first signings made by Chelsea manager José Mourinho when he took charge of the club in his first spell.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is regarded as one of the best in the Premier league, and he is right up there when it comes to the best in the world as well. He was one of the first signings made by Chelsea manager José Mourinho when he took charge of the club in his first spell.

The Czech Republic goalkeeper was in his early 20s back then, but it did not stop him from establishing himself in the Chelsea first-team ahead of the much experienced Carlo Cudicini. After having made numerous appearances for Chelsea and having won several trophies including the Champions league, Cech has said that he is grateful to Mourinho.

The 31-year-old will be once again working with the Portuguese manager after he arrived for a second spell in charge of the club a few weeks back. Mourinho’s confidence in Cech has resulted in the Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois going back to Atletico Madrid on yet another loan deal.

Chelsea signed the Belgian as a replacement for Cech, but he is yet to play a game for Chelsea after spending the last two seasons on loan at the Spanish club. He will be spending a third season at the club now.

Cech has also captained Chelsea on several occasions as well.
“With Jose I only have great memories. He gave me the chance to be the number one at Chelsea. I was 22 joining a big club [from Rennes] where Carlo Cudicini was first-choice, a player who had the most clean sheets the previous season. You think, ‘Well, if the new manager comes in and just picks him then I’m dead.’ That was the challenge. But he gave me the opportunity to start and show what I could do, and that is when my career kicked on,” said Cech.