Andy Cole has opened up about the breakdown of his relationship with former Manchester United teammate Teddy Sheringham, citing three specific incidents that led to their silence. Despite their shared success at Old Trafford, including the 1999 treble, the strikers had a famously frosty relationship.
Speaking on the podcast 'In The Mixer', Cole recalled the first incident occurring before his England debut, when Sheringham allegedly snubbed him on the touchline. 'De buts are supposed to mean a hell of a lot... To know that I didn't get someone respecting me on my debut, it was just playing with my head straight away,' Cole said.
The tensions escalated after Sheringham joined Manchester United in 1997. Cole described a pre-season encounter where Sheringham made a comment about his playing style, which Cole felt undermined his experience at the club. 'That kind of set the time bomb off,' he said.
The final straw came during a 1-1 draw with Bolton, when Sheringham blamed Cole for the opposition's goal. Cole lost his temper, rushing to the dressing room to confront him. Manager Sir Alex Ferguson intervened, telling Cole the behaviour could not continue. 'I heard that and so that was it for his duration at Manchester United and my duration at Manchester United. I never had another conversation with Sheringham,' Cole added.
Despite the long-standing feud, a chance encounter at a nightclub in 2019 led to Cole extending an olive branch, and the two are now on cordial terms.
