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The West Ham faithful need to stop making Hammers ace a scapegoat

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Carlton ColeIn the eight years Carlton Cole has been a West Ham United player (not including his departure for a couple of months last year), it is striking to note that probably, for only two or three of those seasons, he would have been considered a first choice forward for the club. Only in the period when Gianfranco Zola was in charge would you say that Cole an automatic first choice pick. The rest of the time, there have always been strikers within the squad considered better than Carlton.

Whether it be Dean Ashton, Bobby Zamora, Marlon Harewood, Carlos Tevez, Craig Bellamy, Freddie Piquionne (arguably for a year), Andy Carroll, Modibo Maiga (briefly), and now Enner Valencia, Mauro Zarate and Diafra Sakho, Cole would be, and still is, considered as a back up to those sorts of players in the long term.

Yet due to injuries, lack of form and transfers away from Upton Park, Cole has without doubt been the most important striker at West Ham in those past eight seasons. He has been the one constant during that period, always available to step in and do a job for his side when other strikers around him have failed to provide that role. Indeed his 175 appearances in all competitions for the Hammers is testament to his longevity and importance to the club.

Aside from all of his appearances, the goals that Cole has scored have been vital to the cause. It is noteworthy that he has been the top scorer at the club in three of the eight campaigns he has been there, netting a total of 66 goals in that time – not bad for someone who was rarely seen as a first choice striker. The goal and assist during the Play-Off final against Blackpool in 2012, which sent West Ham back into Premier League football, were probably his most important contributions to West Ham.

Last season was the prime example of how much we required his services. Having being released from his contract that summer, he was recalled and signed up again a few months later, following the striking crisis that hit West Ham during the first half of last season. He ended up scoring six vital goals in that campaign, and finishing as the second top scorer, before immediately being shunted off to the bench as soon as Andy Carroll returned from injury.

His loyalty he has shown to the club is another reason we should all be thankful to the former England international. He famously took a massive pay-cut to stay with the Hammers when they were relegated back in 2011 of course, and also chose to stay at Upton Park during the years where there were several bigger clubs who were interested in gaining his services. He could have easily pushed for a transfer back then, as many players do. Even Cole’s fiercest critic cannot deny that you do not see that kind of loyalty to a football club very often these days.

Against this backdrop, it is therefore very disappointing to see a lot of the stick Cole has received from some West Ham fans over the years, and it seems to have reached higher levels at the start of this season, both at matches and particularly on social media.

No one pretends that Cole is the greatest or most skilful player in the world, but the simple matter of fact is, that he has played a vital role for the club over the years, and even now still has a strong role to play. Bottom line is, we still need him.

There seems to be many questioning why the forward wasn’t sold in the summer transfer window, but for me that would have been a crazy decision. Just as has been the case over much of Cole’s West Ham career, whilst it may appear that Cole is way down on the strikers pecking order, with the likes of Andy Carroll, Mauro Zarate, Enner Valencia, and Diafra Sakho ahead of him, but when you think about it, it would be madness to get rid of Carlton. With Andy Carroll currently out injured, Cole is the only striker out of the rest who has significant Premier League experience. We still don’t know how quickly the others will adapt to English football, and Cole is available to provide a reliable job, as he has done for years.

Having not seen enough of Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho in a West Ham shirt, Cole is also the one who can definitely play in the target man role in the absence of Carroll, which as we all know, is a preference of Sam Allardyce. That is another important reason for keeping Cole at the club. Indeed he has been utilised in the role during the first few games of this season, and provided a reasonable job as far as I can see, scoring one goal, against Crystal Palace away. He seemed to particularly get lots of abuse for his performance against Southampton in the last match, but in truth, the whole team were poor that day, and there didn’t seem to be much more he could have done in any case, with little or no service to the forward line throughout the match.

So the West Ham fans that give the big man such abuse should consider these things, and stop making him the scapegoat for everything that goes wrong on the pitch. He has done so much for the club and still has plenty to offer. It is also refreshing and rare to have a player that seems to genuinely love the club and show the loyalty he has. I for one consider him a West Ham legend.

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14 comments

  • IronsTom says:

    What a rubbish article! Carlton Cole is NOT made a scapegoat at all. He gets criticism purely because he is ONE OF the worst strikers to ever don a Hammers shirt!

    Yeah yeah we know, he’s a lovely bloke and loyal! So what! He’s still shit.

  • Cranham Hammer says:

    I think have spelt A”*e wrong

  • keith irons says:

    Couldn’t agree more with the article. I would only put Ashton & Tevez above Cole, with possibly Zamora too.
    Don’t listen to your detractors, Carlton. The true fan knows the impossible task bestowed upon you by Sam.
    Keep at it & prove your doubters wrong.

  • philtheiron says:

    Are you having a laugh?! Cole a legend? Look let’s face it, calton cole isn’t and never will be a premier league class striker! End off!

    By the way Moore is a legend!Sir Trevor Brooking is a legend! Bonds is a legend! Hurst is a legend! Are you getting the picture yet mate?

  • Mangapp says:

    I think I must be going to different matches than you. Cole is slow, despite his height misses headers, has a knack of having his back to goal when the ball is crossed, falls over and generally loses the ball when it comes to him. Against Southampton, the ball was crossed from the right wing across the goal, Cole ran in and didn’t as much as put a leg out. He took two headers on the back of his neck – missed countless other headers and generally loped around the pitch with no real urgency. I can’t believe that Valencia can be picked to play for his country, and score, yet we play Cole and leave Valencia sitting on the bench. I admire Coles passion, and he’s probably a lovely guy, but fainites, enough is enough.

  • Dave Branch says:

    Legend ????????????Do you watch any games mate?????? Try and differentiate between being a decent and loyal bloke and being a very average footballer who tries but isn’t up to the job. Both apply to Carlton Cole. Sentiment does not a great team make, and the sooner the not-up-to-its are replaced ( Cole, Nolan, Vaz Te, O Brien) the better for West Ham United.

    As has been said, Moore, Hurst, Bonds, Brooking, Di Canio, Martin yes, TRUE legends. Carlton Cole ?? Not by a mile.

  • stevet says:

    Desperate days if you think Carlton Cole is a legend.Apart from Hull City and a turkish club no other club has ever bid for him.When he was released no club took him on.

  • rivieralet says:

    I am truly worried by the mentality of my fellow supporters . Firstly they vote Mark ” DONKEY ” Noble as player of the year and now Carlton Cole is a legend … OH MY GOD !!! Noble is loyal and that is where it stops . Cole is in the Boogers class of striker.

  • beckton Geoff says:

    Sorry James but legend really

  • Simon says:

    West Ham have been as loyal to Cole as he has been to west ham – you cant complain we dont score enough goals or take enough chances when you dont have the quality of player to do the job – CCole has never met the expectations his so called talent has predicted, thus west hams lack of accomplishments over the last 8 long years can be attributed to the fact we have relied on personnel that dont perform well enough to do the job they are tasked with – its not just him either – we now have enough quality in the squad to keep players like CCole, Vaz Te, Obrien, Demel out of the side, even Nolan, and compete for places with Jarvis, Downing and Noble – of course we still have to rely on the fact Sam will use them which so far this season has been limited – top half finishes arent possible with bottom half or worse standard players – consistency in performances are only possible when players of quality are selected and in their strongest positions – the mentality of our manager is now under the greatest scrutiny since hes been there, he no longer has the excuse of having an inadequate squad, he has the players to build a better team than we endured last season, so far this season except for Cresswell and Kouyate Sam has limited the use of everyone else at his disposal just so he can select the usual suspects to do a job we know they struggle to deliver on, do you really think thats because our new signings arent good enough, or that Sam is so limited in his tactical prowess that he refuses to change – 2 things will happen this season, either Sam will be gone in a month, or if results go our way he will last the season, but be gone at the end – i think the patience of many has been tested by Sam and the start to this season hasnt really seen much difference in tactics, displays or consistency from the last – i have no doubt with the players we have brought in a manager such as Moyes or Bilic would have no trouble utilising this squad to great effect, or see the benefits of some of our academy personnel, Sam is far to blinkered to see past his limitations which also includes utilising the youth at his disposal- which i also believe is one of the reasons our academy is losing some of its best talent of late.

  • Geoff says:

    Still reckon Carlton’s a keeper (no, not goalkeeper!), he still has goals in him & while he’ll never & nor should he be WHU #1 striker, if he comes on as sub in the right situation & nicks one then would we we be unhappy?

  • blimey says:

    As much as i want to like and praise Cole, he simply has never consistently delivered on his promise.
    So: Thanks for his (well paid) loyalty, value his contribution as squad member and player, pleased to have him around.
    but legend…..????????

  • Harry says:

    Couldn’t agree more, brilliant article

  • Paul says:

    How good it is to see positive comments about Carlton Cole. The big man has strived to lead the line for supporters who have become near impossible to please. But highlighting where Carlton has shown his true qualities, such as taking a paycut, may broaden the minds of those who verbally assult the man.

    So let’s show the love for Carlton Cole, he deserves it.

    In our house,the man is a legend !

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