I’ve tried to resist the temptation of writing about Ashley Cole and his transfer saga, as it has already been covered in just about every other form of media. However, the news that his football agent has now been fined and suspended, ties in with my reading of his autobiography, which has further fuelled my will to publish my thoughts.

Now that the Football Association have taken Jonathan Barnett to task, its pretty much certain, if it wasn’t already, that Ashley Cole and his agent instigated the ’secret’ meeting which led to Ashley Cole taking his football boots to Chelsea. The Football Association wouldn’t have made this bold move unless they were certain that the case would not come back and nip them on the backside.

In his book, Ashley Cole claims that he asked Jonathan Barnett to arrange a meeting with Pini Zahavi, the Israeli “super-agent”. Ashley Cole claimed he wanted to meet Pini Zahavi, as he would be able to give him the low-down on his footballing options outside of the Premiership, as Ashley Cole would not want to move to a football team within the Premiership. Ashley Cole claims that during this meeting, Jose Mourinho and Peter Kenyon of Chelsea, arrived to meet with Pini Zahavi, as they had a meeting scheduled with Pini Zahavi, straight after Ashley Cole’s meeting.

Ashley Cole claims in his book, that they held a basic conversation, without discussing a potential transfer. Jose Mourinho in his hearing with the FA, claimed that the Ashley Cole was being offered to Chelsea and that Ashley Cole even discussed his concerns about how the Arsenal dressing room was full of cliques.

What I cannot understand is this;

Why, as Ashley Cole claims, was he researching a European transfer away from Arsenal? Surely that is also against Football Association rules and disloyal to the club he claimed at the time was his home?

Excusing the so called coincidence of Chelsea turning up during the meeting, isn’t it remarkable that he has now ended up at Chelsea, despite him saying that he could not move to another Premiership club?

This book, apart from making Ashley Cole even more money, does not help his cause. In fact it just further cements the fact that Ashley Cole is poorly advised. Why doesn’t he keep his head down and do what he is great at, playing football?

Football Boots

Ashley Cole currently wears Adidas +F50 TUNiT football boots and has been training in Adidas 7406 football boots.

The Book

My Defence: Winning, losing, scandals and the drama of Germany 2006 - Can be ordered here from Amazon.