Former England international Joe Cole has admitted he regrets leaving Chelsea for Liverpool, describing the move as a mistake made when his body was failing him. Cole joined Liverpool in 2010 after his contract at Stamford Bridge ended, but he now wishes he had stayed or moved abroad instead.
The midfielder suffered a serious knee injury in 2009, damaging his ACL, PCL and MCL, which he believes marked the beginning of the end of his top-level career. Chelsea initially stalled contract negotiations following the injury, and although Cole returned to form, he felt his body was deteriorating. 'I was never the same player after that,' he said.
Cole had offers from Tottenham and Liverpool but chose Liverpool because he could not bring himself to join Spurs. However, his time at Anfield was unsuccessful: he made 42 appearances, scored five goals and provided four assists. After falling out of favour under Kenny Dalglish, he was loaned to Lille and later allowed to return to West Ham on a free transfer.
Looking back, Cole said he would have preferred to stay at Chelsea or move abroad. 'I wrecked myself,' he admitted, adding that his ego also played a part in his decision to leave. Despite his struggles, he stressed that Liverpool is a 'fantastic club' and an institution globally.
