Andy Cole retires from football

Great player Cole. Very underrated, his movement, off the ball in particular, was fantastic.

Fountz - i'm sure you came out with something last week that surprised me.

Two lots of %@#$&!s in a week now.

EDIT - just remembered, you don't rate Carrick
I can happily dismiss your opinion on Cole now.

Originally Posted by Crumps

5 League Titles
2 FA Cups
1 Intercontinental cup
1 European Cup
Better than a goal evey other start (without penalties)
Movement
Fantastic workrate
Put the team before any of his personal problems
Red through and through
I am pretty sure he's still 3rd in all time assists too PL wise(someone may prove me wrong or right though)
Most Underrated player of his generation.

You are right. He is still 3rd behind giggsy and berkgamp. I don't see anyone beating that record.

That article always brings a tear to my eye.

Originally Posted by Fountz

IMO a principle reason why didn't bag a European Cup or two before '99, a contributing factor to Eric hanging his boots up far too early and a player whose lack of first touch and indecisiveness frustrated the hell out of me.

However a solid Pro and good servant who I wish well in his retirement.

absolute %@#$&!s. Eric left because he was nuts! Although since you say IMO, you are entitled to your opinion.

Originally Posted by Mr_Ed

Great player for United. Legend? Not in this horses eyes.
Imagine if we'd signed RVN in 95 instead of Cole (if it could hypothetically happen)...

I can imagine... we would still be getting ridiculed by scousers for not winning european cup more than once never mind the trouble and having to watch that horse faced @#%&! languishing in opponents half. People often don't realise what a "team" that in 99 united was. We won the treble because of that. Cole was one of the most important member of the "team".

Originally Posted by Mr_Ed

Great player for United. Legend? Not in this horses eyes.

Imagine if we'd signed RVN in 95 instead of Cole (if it could hypothetically happen)...

£#%&! me, I would take Cole every day of my life over Ruud. Every day!

Originally Posted by Gypsum Fantastic

Great player Cole. Very underrated, his movement, off the ball in particular, was fantastic.

Fountz - i'm sure you came out with something last week that surprised me.

Two lots of %@#$&!s in a week now.

EDIT - just remembered, you don't rate Carrick
I can happily dismiss your opinion on Cole now.

Oh, and I didn't know this about you, but it doesn't surprise me now I do and it makes me feel very self-satisfied.

Originally Posted by redrose

£#%&! me, I would take Cole every day of my life over Ruud. Every day!

If you took out Cole's assists and all round contribution I doubt Ruud or Alan Shearer's goal scoring would make up the difference tbh thus we'd be less successful.

Fair points and your opinion as you say.

Fwiw I wouldn't say Cole is a United legend, that's going way too far for me. However:

Originally Posted by Fountz

..which leads me onto Eric. The Eric and Cole years tie in pretty perfectly with my years of being an ST holder.

Me too.

Originally Posted by Fountz

As you know when you're at the match you have the time to notice the bigger picture, movement, first touch, space awareness, pace, vision and body language. Cole used to frustrate the hell out of Eric

I'm sorry, I just don't buy it. It's an oft-quoted 'fact' that has no basis in reality. What evidence is there? Eric occasionally shrugging his shoulders or sighing? He did the same with everyone: McClair, Bruce (remember that miss at Reading?), even Hughes and Kanchelskis sometimes. That's what Eric did, that was his style. Using a Frenchman huffing as evidence of his disdain for one particular person is really flimsy.

Originally Posted by Fountz

At the time he was under pressure at United and we all know it, but typical United we rallied around him to the point where we elevated him to a plane far beyond his entitlement. Why, because at the same time nasty Hoddle for nasty old England had a go at him.

Now I think you're getting confused with timescales - as I remember Cole had been at United for at least three years before Hoddle came out with his famous statement.

Originally Posted by Fountz

As time passes people forget the roar of anticipation as a counter attack unfolds changing to a groan of frustration as Cole £#%&!s up yet another move or squanders yet another chance, or fails to pull the trigger when he should because he's like a toddler with a balloon trying to get it onto his right foot, or his laughably timed headers where he's actually back down on the ground when he should be planting his nut on the ball.

You know, that is word for word my opinion on McClair. Absolutely spot on, all of it, especially the bit about not knowing how to jump for headers

I'm not saying none of that's true about Cole by the way. I just don't think it applied throughout his career (see below).

Originally Posted by Fountz

I'm pretty convinced that if we'd replaced Cole with one of the above it'd have been a hallelujah moment, a no brainer and one that would've seen us win a European Cup or two more... with Eric still in the side.

I agree with you there. It's just that, we won three consecutive titles from 1999-2001 with no Cantona, and what do people say about it? That the opposition teams were crap, that's what. When in fact those years were when Cole was on top form, and he was one of the main reasons for that achievement. You don't win three titles in a row with a 'child with a balloon' up front - it just does not happen. The 1995 Cole and the 1999-2000 Cole were very different in my eyes. One was a nervy, out and out goalscorer being asked to do different things, the other was a fully mature leader of the line who had learned how to do those things and had grown into his role superbly.

Edit: by the way I love Eric as much as anyone and would have his kids tomorrow if I could, but I do always find it a bit unfair that he missed sitter after sitter against Dortmund in 1997 yet Cole gets the blame for us not winning another European Cup.

He stole Kenny Sansoms watch though...

I'm sorry Andy's (Not Andrew. You can't just change your mind after ten years, Coley ) career couldn't have ended a little better for him at his hometown club.

I wouldn't say Andy Cole was a United legend. I would have him in the second bracket behind the legends with the likes of Beckham, Hughes, RVN, Yorke (all opinions, ofcourse), but there's no shame in that and he was certainly a pivotal part of some legendary teams.

Without Cole, 99 wouldn't have been so memorable.

Cole wasn't the most technically gifted player we've ever had. As some have pointed out, he missed chances - important chances, his first touch wasn't always great etc, but he was a player who worked hard and worked hard at improving his game to become effective. Some players are so naturally gifted it makes you sick. These are the players that fans generally love to watch. Who wouldn't? But it's easy to appreciate these players, almost as satyisfying is watching a player perform at the peak of footballing highs, having seen them improve and work hard at their game for the team. It feels somewhat more rewarding. These players are usually hugely unselfish (Andy was no exception) and popular with the fans because the fans recognise that ethic.

Unfortunately for Andy, ignorant opposition fans can't see past the wobbly legs and missed chances. They ignore the goals record and countless assists and simply mock him. I honestly can't think of another player so maligned by opposition fans based purely on his ability. But it was this that made him more popular with United fans, IMO. I loved every goal Cole Goal because he worked for it and it was a giant '£#%&! you' to his detractors. Even when he left, I still took great pleasure in seeing Cole score (to extinguish the silly argument that he only scores because he plays for United ).

The arrival of RVN pretty much marked the end for him. His exit left a slightly bad taste in the mouth because I think we all knew he had something to offer us, but we had a new goal scorer and, credit to Andy, to didn't want to play second fiddle to Ruud. It takes a lot of guts to walk away from United because you want to play football and it would've been easy for Andy to play the victim and claim an injustice. But he didn't. He conducted himself with great dignity and never said a bad word against us. When he returned to OT with Blackburn, he walked up to Ruud and shook his hand just before kick off. It nearly brough a tear to my eye - what a class act. And he got the warm reception he deserved.

But that sums him up, he wasn't the best player of his generation and there may have been technically better players out there for us, but the ends justify the means and no one can argue with his goals record, his contribution over 6 years and the manner in which he conducted himself. knowing what he did for us, would anyone swap him for someone else?
He left us with numerous memories and I wish him well in whatever he does.

A long post, I know - but Coley deserves it. Good luck to him. A brilliant player for us and a class act.

Originally Posted by keano's love

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle5127120.ece

Sad day. Loved him to bits. He left united a tad too early.

i wish you'd £#%&! off you stupid @#%&!

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

I'm sorry Andy's (Not Andrew. You can't just change your mind after ten years, Coley ) career couldn't have ended a little better for him at his hometown club.

I wouldn't say Andy Cole was a United legend. I would have him in the second bracket behind the legends with the likes of Beckham, Hughes, RVN, Yorke (all opinions, ofcourse), but there's no shame in that and he was certainly a pivotal part of some legendary teams.

Without Cole, 99 wouldn't have been so memorable.

Cole wasn't the most technically gifted player we've ever had. As some have pointed out, he missed chances - important chances, his first touch wasn't always great etc, but he was a player who worked hard and worked hard at improving his game to become effective. Some players are so naturally gifted it makes you sick. These are the players that fans generally love to watch. Who wouldn't? But it's easy to appreciate these players, almost as satyisfying is watching a player perform at the peak of footballing highs, having seen them improve and work hard at their game for the team. It feels somewhat more rewarding. These players are usually hugely unselfish (Andy was no exception) and popular with the fans because the fans recognise that ethic.

Unfortunately for Andy, ignorant opposition fans can't see past the wobbly legs and missed chances. They ignore the goals record and countless assists and simply mock him. I honestly can't think of another player so maligned by opposition fans based purely on his ability. But it was this that made him more popular with United fans, IMO. I loved every goal Cole Goal because he worked for it and it was a giant '£#%&! you' to his detractors. Even when he left, I still took great pleasure in seeing Cole score (to extinguish the silly argument that he only scores because he plays for United ).

The arrival of RVN pretty much marked the end for him. His exit left a slightly bad taste in the mouth because I think we all knew he had something to offer us, but we had a new goal scorer and, credit to Andy, to didn't want to play second fiddle to Ruud. It takes a lot of guts to walk away from United because you want to play football and it would've been easy for Andy to play the victim and claim an injustice. But he didn't. He conducted himself with great dignity and never said a bad word against us. When he returned to OT with Blackburn, he walked up to Ruud and shook his hand just before kick off. It nearly brough a tear to my eye - what a class act. And he got the warm reception he deserved.

But that sums him up, he wasn't the best player of his generation and there may have been technically better players out there for us, but the ends justify the means and no one can argue with his goals record, his contribution over 6 years and the manner in which he conducted himself. knowing what he did for us, would anyone swap him for someone else?
He left us with numerous memories and I wish him well in whatever he does.

A long post, I know - but Coley deserves it. Good luck to him. A brilliant player for us and a class act.

Great post, you've put it better than I did. Agree with all of it.

Originally Posted by Crumps

Red through and through

Good one.

Blue @#%&!.


Great striker though.

i loved coley. i remember getting into fights at school (ten men) because i used to be £#%&!ing sick of people slagging him off.

i agree with crumps' post entirely, the foot-touching weirdo.

quality player and a REAL United legend.

gutted he had to go out in this way though.

Coley was £#%&!ing magic

Far preferred him to Ruud and we played much more attractive football with him in the side

There is a goals comp on youtube somewhere...watch it and see how £#%&!ing good he was and how much he loved scoring goals for us

has a massive #@&%! as well

Originally Posted by Carrick

Good one.

Him and Devante sit in main stand.

Always loved Andy Cole.
The fact he was mocked so much by the Press & Pundits made it all the sweeter that he did so well for us.
He had a terrific attitude & a genuine love for United which is just as strong now.
Great player for us.... & a striker who always scored at Anfield!

Originally Posted by Billy Baroo

Coley was £#%&!ing magic

Far preferred him to Ruud and we played much more attractive football with him in the side

There is a goals comp on youtube somewhere...watch it and see how £#%&!ing good he was and how much he loved scoring goals for us

tbh I have not seen someone scoring the variety of goals he scored. tapins, headers, long range blasts, delicate chips, overhead kicks.

Only 2 players I have seen doing them have been shevchenko at his peak and ronaldo ( cristiano ).

There have been others who have been great with just one type of goals but not the variety.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4ixT63nBqao

R.I.P Andy, top red.