Both legends at Premier League – Manchester City's turnover for the first time higher than Manchester United's”>Chelsea, it was in Lille in 2011 that Joe Cole met a certain Eden Hazard, a few years before the latter went to enchant the lawns of the Premier League.
From the start, the Englishman was intrigued by this little phenomenon: “When I arrived at Lille, I wanted to become the new number 10. But Rudi Garcia told me it wouldn’t be possible because there was a 20-year-old boy who had something special about him”explained Joe Cole during an interview granted to The Athletic. “At first I was pissed to hear that, but when I saw this guy playing football, I understood. He was phenomenal.”
Even today, Cole considers the captain of the Devils to be the best player he has played with in his career: “He’s a real artist. He could have become the best player in the world. When Luka Modric won the Ballon d’Or in 2018, it should have been Eden Hazard. But he lives to be happy… and he There’s a lot to tell about that. Eden doesn’t have the mentality of a Messi or a Ronaldo.”details the former England international who explains that Hazard was not the greatest of professionals in his career.
“Ice baths at one in the morning? Very little for him. But if he had, he would probably have won all the individual prizes”, remembers Cole who does not want his words to be taken as criticism of the Devil. “He brought many joys and titles to the fans of Lille and Chelsea when he wore the colors of these clubs. He should be proud of that. And he did it all with a smile on his face.”
Facilitator of Hazard’s transfer to Chelsea?
At the end of their joint season in Lille, the two players migrated to England. Joe Cole signed for West Ham while the Brainois signed for Chelsea. According to the Englishman, it was thanks to him that Hazard ended up at the Blues: “He was courted by many teams. He was hanging out a lot with Vincent Kompany who was trying to lure him to Manchester City. United were also on the ball. But me, I thought that a life in London, a few hours away his family in Belgium, would suit him better. I knew he had the perfect profile for English football and that Chelsea fans would love him: ‘Forget City and United, Chelsea is your home’, I told him .”
If the London adventure was idyllic for the Devil, his transfer to Real Madrid is a resounding failure: “It’s shameful the way things are going at Real Madrid”commented laconically Joe Cole who does not carry Carlo Ancelotti in his heart: “When I arrived in Lille, I was 29 and I had already worked with coaches like Mourinho or Ancelotti. But I learned more tactically from contact with Rudi Garcia than with them.” A small spade well sent for the Madrid coach.
