He has already done enough to suggest the good times can return
to the historic club.
Even Jamie Carragher's son James has Cole's name on his shirt,
rather than the old man's.
The Kop centre-back said: "Joe has lifted the city. It's not
just on the pitch or in the dressing room, it's the whole
place.
"He's staying in the centre of town getting well-wishers all the
time, so he's starting to realise just how big a club this is.
"Joe is like a god in the city already and he's only played a
game and a half."
Carragher says Cole's red card for a rash tackle on Arsenal
new-boy Laurent Koscielny during Sunday's 1-1 draw at Anfield
should have been a booking.
However Liverpool have decided against an appeal and he will now
miss the next three Premier League matches but is available for
Thursday's Europa League play-off clash with Trabzonspor and the
second leg in Turkey the following week.
He said: "You see the tackle he made so many times, trying to
block a ball down the line, and if you don't get the ball, you
can't stop yourself in mid-air.
"To me, that type of tackle should be only a yellow.
"He's going to be a major asset for us. He has already got the
fans onside and was talking beforehand about how big a game this
was for him."
And Carragher laughed off his son's preference for Cole.
He said: "You don't want a defender's name on the back of your
shirt, do you?"
Carragher reserves judgment on what the season has in store
under new boss Roy Hodgson.
He said: "We're Liverpool so shouldn't get carried away after
drawing with Arsenal at home.
"People talk about last season but don't forget that the year
before, with the same team, we finished second.
"We were never as bad as seventh. We're better than that. Maybe
with a new manager and a couple of new players, we should be
fighting for a top-four place. That has to be the aim."
Carra admits it was the right time for Rafa Benitez to go but
refused to criticise him.
He said: "I'd never do that. I've got too much respect for him.
Everyone's different, with different ways of doing things.
"Everyone said the same about Gerard Houllier. I stuck up for
him and I'll stick up for Rafa.
"We had some great times but it was time for a change.
"Ever since I've been here, we've never been thought of as the
best team in the country. We've enjoyed the chance to prove people
wrong.
"I understand why people don't fancy us to get in the top four
but we believe we can."
Middlesbrough keeper Brad Jones, 28, is set to join Liverpool
after his club agreed to let him complete the move.
