Hungry: England midfielder Joe Cole just 'cannot
wait to get out there' for the World Cup in South Africa
Joe Cole insists he is the fittest player in
the Chelsea squad
and says that should be enough for England coach Fabio Capello to
take the midfielder to the World Cup.
Cole has been named in Capello's initial 30-man squad for South
Africa next month but still has to persuade the Italian he is worth
a place in the final 23-man party.
He is determined to make the June 1 cut after enduring a
frustrating season with the Barclays Premier League champions.
The midfielder has not played regularly for Chelsea since
returning from a knee injury in September but he insists that the
lack of game time means he is in the perfect condition to make a
huge impact in the finals.
'We did the fitness tests at Chelsea on Thursday and I am the
fittest player in the squad,' said Cole. 'It's been a long hard
season and some of the guys have played 50 games. I'm fresh and
hungry. I just want to get out there.
'I'm looking to be on the plane, that's the goal. Once I'm on
the plane I'll look to get in the starting 11 and once I'm in it I
will look to win it.' Cole was one of England's best performers at
the 2006 World Cup, scoring a stunning volley in the 2-2 draw with
Sweden, and is desperate to add to his 53 caps.
'I've been there and done it at international level, I know what
it's all about and I'm quite proud of my England career so far,'
said Cole. ''He [Capello] knows what I can do. It is hard to play
as well as you like when you're playing 20 minutes here, 45
there.
'Maybe I've been trying a bit too hard at times but I have been
applying myself well in the last few months and maybe he [Capello]
looked at that.
'I'm just happy to be there. I'm excited like everyone else
about the World Cup.'
Cole goes into the FA Cup final on Saturday insisting Chelsea
must not be complacent against Pompey at Wembley.
The England midfielder still has a lot of respect for Pompey
boss Avram Grant, who took Chelsea to the Champions League final in
2008. 'I am very fond of Avram,' said Cole. 'He is a great manager.
Maybe when he took the job over, coming in after a very popular
manager in Jose Mourinho, made it very difficult for him.
'But he proved himself here and took us within a whisker of
winning the Champions League - better than any other manager has
done at Chelsea so far. 'What he's done at Portsmouth is remarkable
with all the turmoil that's going on, the players there really seem
to have responded to him.'