Liverpool – Will the real Joe Cole ‘ever’ come forth?

Being labelled a child prodigy must be a considerable burden to bear, just ask Joe Cole. But it is surely harder to handle that expectation and turn the burgeoning talent into the finished article, again, ask Joe Cole. Which brings us neatly to the point in question, is Joe Cole this country’s most enigmatic footballer?

On the 19th July his move to Merseyside caused a positive stir amongst the Liverpool fraternity, with both former and current players hailing the club’s standing, as both one moving in the right direction but more pertinently one which can still attract top-class players.

Since that day, the manager who poached the Chelsea playmaker has left following a quite dismal tenure, whilst Cole himself has managed 656 Premier League minutes – which represent a solitary goal – with injury, suspension and poor form blighting this chapter of his career. Cole moved north after Hodgson felt the ex-Chelsea man could inject some creativity into an uninspired Liverpool side. But as we enter the last quarter of the football calendar, sadly, unanimity should prevail in saying the 29-year-old is a shoe-in, for flop of the season.

He was part of the famed West Ham youth system and was envisaged to have the same impact on English football as the brilliant, but troubled, Paul Gascoigne. Fundamentally he is a home-grown talent boasting genuine skill and trickery, he can turn a game with a flash of exuberance – and during Cole’s footballing life, England have produced few players of this ilk.

At Chelsea he was one of Roman Abramovich’s first major signings as the Russian begun his Stamford Bridge revolution. He dropped down the pecking order, after initially being preferred to Damien Duff and Shaun Wright-Phillips as a Chelsea winger in 2006/07, and most would agree that since then, the aforementioned ‘prodigy’ tag has become more and more alien. After peaking under José Mourinho in the mid-noughties, current boss Carlo Ancelotti, who felt Cole’s best days were behind him, let him leave.

Determining Cole’s best position is the major frustration. Is he a winger, a central midfielder coming from deep or best deployed in the hole behind the striker? But the other problem complicating his predicament is that Kenny Dalglish must attempt to squeeze him into his plans rather than Cole holding a place of permanence in the side – there is a difference. With the emergence of Raul Meireles and the long-standing Steven Gerrard already sparring for that slot behind the forward/s, this role looks beyond his reach.

Dalglish is still assessing the tools at his disposal and will have a much more informed opinion, if still present, after a full pre-season. He should try and marry the problem area within his squad, with Cole’s fundamental problem of requiring football. Liverpool have a lack of natural width, as Dirk Kuyt and Maxi are anything but ‘born to run’ the flanks (and it is in-fact questionable if the latter is born to play football at all, but that is an argument for another day.)

Cole excelled for England on the left-wing around the time he scored ‘that’ goal against Sweden in the 2006 World Cup; likewise, Chelsea got the best out the diminutive creator when instructing him to hug the touchline.

Liverpool are probably the last big club he will play for and who knows if his best has already graced our game and barring a quite cosmic resurgence in club-form, his England days look to be numbered too. If Capello isn’t interested now then what chance of Cole charming the Italian again, with players like Adam Johnson, Jack Wilshire, Ashley Young – and to a degree Josh McEachran – but to name a few, coming to the fore, in-and-around that midfield area.

Once fit, Dalglish must find a way to integrate Cole at Anfield and if the former’s words regarding “having patience with him following his latest injury problems,” are true, then Cole will still be allowed time to impress. But on this season’s evidence he seems a player who lacks faith in his own ability, so addressing that is his first port of call.

He started off-kilter with an opening day, first-half dismissal against Arsenal and following the three-match ban he never regained stride. It will be a shame if he is remembered as the English player who never lived up to his billing, but worst of all it seems not to be through lack of effort, as his make-up suggests that of a solid professional who works hard on a daily basis – quite simply, something just hasn’t clicked.

Hopefully Dalglish can help banish this mysterious aura surrounding one of English football’s ingenious talents, and drag the real Joe Cole from out of the shadows – before the curtain starts to descend on his career.