Ashley Cole (Out)

[YuenBiaoFan]

Didn't you know or haven't you heard the pundits creaming themselves about it?

Chelsea have a good old English spine running right through the team!

JT, Lamps and errrrrrr.......

Wankers

 

[Ratinho]

Gah Big Poppa, that's embarrassing pal.

I think it's fairly clear that Cesc has made a point of showing his loyalty, and Cole vice versa, and tenuous fairying around these clear points doesn't change that.

 

[otfgoon]

;D nice try big poppa, but its not going to work.

 

[fanatic gooner]

Very clever, but I cant see how saying "they fed me to the sharks" could be taken out of context.

But anyway, I think he could stay as long as he edits the bad bits out of his book as requested by his club, if he does that then it shows he is willing/wants to stay.

Ashley Cole; "My Case"

Chapter 11, page 65

"As I drove into the training ground that day I was feeling unsure about how the lads would take to me. Did they believe everything that was written and said? Or were they willing to understand that there was much more to it? I was delighted when Freddie came straight over and said "Welcome back mate". It felt like I was back home, and the truth is, this has always been my home.

After training I went over to David Dein, who had come along to Colney to keep an eye on some of the players and we had a brief chat. I offered an unreserved apology for everything that had happened and promised continue to give 110% for the club. He stopped me before I could even finish and said "Listen, Ashley - just go out and do your best, there are no hard feelings and just give me a call if you need my support next week when you go to see the FA. I'll tell them about your great service and loyalty to us in the past." I felt a great sense of relief as I called my lawyer and instructed him to prepare a new case for my defence.

The following Tuesday, Jon (my agent) rang David at his house to discuss his statement at my personal hearing the next day. The response was unexpected. He said that the board instructed him not to further tarnish the club's reputation by speaking in my defence. I thought we had already talked about this and clarified my position, we settled our differences out of court but the club wanted to pursue the prosecution against Chelsea. Why was I embroiled in this political agenda? Everyone knows how daunting it can be to stand there alone in front of the prosecution and it felt as though I was being fed to the sharks.

Nevertheless, business is business and Arsenal have to protect their image. I can understand that but nobody likes the feeling of being left hung out to dry like that. Looking back I realise that I was naive in the whole affair, and shouldn't have allowed myself to arrive in that position - I just hope the fans understand that I was caught in the middle of a war between Arsenal and Chelsea and felt like something of a scapegoat in something much bigger than punishing Ashley Cole for breaking the rules.

It is unfortunate that I allowed myself to be made an example of like that. A secret deal keeps me at Arsenal, but I wanted the fans to know that I signed it because I had never wanted to leave in the first place."

100% pure bullshit, but I'm bored at work.

:thumbup

I won't be surprised if Cole has written something along this lines.

 

[awooga83]

Chelsea have just agreed to sell Del Horno to Valencia so i guess we will know one way or another how this situation will be resolved soon enough.

 

[kel varnsen]

Anyone have any idea when he will be getting back from his honeymoon? Maybe its in the latest issue of heat. Just trying to think of a timetable for his departure.

Just a thought? How do people here think Wenger will deal with his possible departure?

1. Buy a direct replacement? Chiellini?

2. Move someone to LB until Clichy returns? Eboue, Lauren, Hoyte, Flamini.

i don't know. i think the latter is more likely, but i sure hope he does the former. or maybe a combination; he did say he wanted to sign a cb who could also play at lb. eric abidal would fit the bill; strong, agile and decent on the ball. a very good player that would offer us a bit of depth at the back.

however, abidal isn't as good going forward as cole and i think wenger prefers attacking full backs. so, maybe abidal, or someone like him, will be signed and then play until clichy returns from injury. abidal would then primarily be used as cb...

the thing is, wenger said he wanted to sign a defender, but does he then take into account the fact that cole will be leaving?

 

[otfgoon]

Juve would not want to sell Chiellini,, he is on low wages, and he is young so it makes no sence to get rid, and the player himself I would guess would be happy to stay. On the whole it would be hard to replace ashly, cretin or not. I would guess Hoyte or someone else would fill in.

 

[go49oner]

i would be more then pleased if we sell him for 25m+. i still think clichy can be as good if not better then ashly in years to come. all he need is experienc.

 

[Big Poppa]

Gah Big Poppa, that's embarrassing pal.

I think it's fairly clear that Cesc has made a point of showing his loyalty, and Cole vice versa, and tenuous fairying around these clear points doesn't change that.

Mate, to be honest I think I've run dry of any sort of energy to keep trying to show where I'm coming from with this. 'Tenuous fairying around' in your eyes is examining every detail in mine. Holding back from judgement in my eyes might equal divorcing Cole from his actions in yours.

There doesn't seem to be any middle ground, so I guess we'll all just have to wait and see what happens when he gets back from his honeymoon or when the book is actually published.

I have a funny feeling that the club will be doing the same before any sort of decision is made on his future.

 

[Big Poppa]

;D nice try big poppa, but its not going to work.

Oh well

 

[celestis]

Correct me I am wrong , but didn't Cole get hung out to dry by Chelsea , who claimed he intiated contact and Kenyon spilled the beans on what Cole said at the meeting ' French Clique' yadayadayada and Mourinho saying he was too short . Why would he go there now ?
I'll let Wenger decide what to do with Cole whatever happens it does not matter to me .

 

[henry79]

delhorno is sold to valencia, I wouldnt want the club to sell cole to chelsea. No matter what happened they are still our rivals, its better if he goes abroad

 

[Mr_Wilson]

i wouldn't mind ashley going although he is a integral part of our team.


anything over 15 million plus wayne bridge would be a marvellous deal for us

 

[Atlanta Gunner]

Big Poppa, outstanding effort at Cole autobiography simulation. If your day job doesn't work out there could be a ghostwriting future ahead...

I agree with everyone about Cole's disgrace, Chelsea's responsibility in the matter, and that it would be better to sell him to anyone else besides Chelsea. Maybe Arsenal will hold onto him and try to smooth things over this upcoming season, and sell him if it doesn't work out (he does have 2 years remaining, right?), But it appears that too many birdges have been burned.

So let's say it's heading toward an ugly split and sale to Chelsea. If so, would anyone be interested in including Wayne Bridge in the equation? I don't think we need an overrated SWP, but Bridge + 10 million I could live with. He's close to the same age as Cole, he's no Cole but still good, he's English for those who care (I don't). Hard to forget the CL goal he scored against us, but I think he's be a solid addition to combine with Clichy on the left. Thoughts?

 

[GGarsenal]

Great....Now that the Chavs have sold Del Horno to Valencia they will probably sign Cashley next week...

I hope I'm wrong , but I do think that by doing that we are gonna strenghten our major championship rival and there's a strong possibility that we'll challenge for 2nd place again this season ....

Losing PV, Bergy , Campbell , Bobby and now Cole in only two years is just too much. They have been the Arsenal backbone for many years along with Thierry and Kolo.

Last summer brought no joy at the Club and if it wasn't for the new Stadium this one would have been even worse....

Now, I really hope that AW will recruit some new quality players....because , as he said yesterday, a magnificent stadium NEEDS a mignificent team.

 

[Big Poppa]

Great....Now that the Chavs have sold Del Horno to Valencia they will probably sign Cashley next week...

I hope I'm wrong , but I do think that by doing that we are gonna strenghten our major championship rival and there's a strong possibility that we'll challenge for 2nd place again this season ....

Losing PV, Bergy , Campbell , Bobby and now Cole in only two years is just too much. They have been the Arsenal backbone for many years along with Thierry and Kolo.

Last summer brought no joy at the Club and if it wasn't for the new Stadium this one would have been even worse....

Now, I really hope that AW will recruit some new quality players....because , as he said yesterday, a magnificent stadium NEEDS a mignificent team.

There's no way we could even challenge for 2nd by further weakening our already vastly inexperienced defenced. Clichy and Flamini are very talented but they'd get bullied away from home and we'd seriously struggle.

Honestly, I'm yet to hear anybody give any sort of reasonable justification behind the logic of selling Cole to Chelsea. To everyone looking on, it's a sign of major weakness on our part - since this is what they wanted all along.

I remember feeling disgust at the way the Spuds allowed Chelski to poach Arnesen by accepting a £10m sweetener. I never believed, and still doubt that Arsenal will go the same way and allow ourselves to become Chelsea's *****es.

 

[RC8]

BigPoppa, I agree with everything you've said in this thread, and it wouldn't be the first time 'the sun' has used quotes out of context.

As I have stated before, let's wait for Cole to talk about it before we get to a conclusion.

 

[RockyRocastle]

Some people need to open their eyes and stop being so naive.

 

[awooga83]

A crucial point in us not becoming Chelsea's *****es would be Cole expressing a desire to stay or rather him wanting to stay.

I believe that as long as a player wants to play for Arsenal and we want him we wouldn't sell them to our rivals or certainly not our English rivals so we wouldn't be anyones *****. But unfortunately the things that makes this case a possibility is Cole's behaviour and the clubs relationship with him.

 

[RC8]

Bergkamp just said he wanted and expected Ashley Cole to stay.