Ashley Cole’s Book Extract 11 September, 2006

The times has a large extract from cAshley Cole’s book which can be seen here. It’s basically about why he left Arsenal, there are some juicy quotes in there to pick out and just shows you how much of a knob he is. It’s probably best if you give it a read yourself but here are just a few quotes that sum him up:

It all started while I was sitting in the sunshine at Sopwell House, the hotel in Hertfordshire used by England before we flew out to Portugal for Euro 2004, when an eager voice called out, “Ashley!” Mr Dein was stood there. He told me I wasn’t earning enough and my salary was going to be increased. My face- cracking smile told him all he needed to know. I was buzzing, really buzzing. His tone soon wiped the smile from my face. I felt his attitude suggested he was doing me a favour, like I was a 17-year-old trainee.

The deal he offered was a £10,000-a-week increase to £35,000. A hell of a lot of money. But, when taken in the context of football wages and his own estimated value of me of £20 million, and when placed next to those other Arsenal wages of between £80,000 and £100,000 a week, his offer was a piss-take. It was a slap in the face, not a pat on the back.

Is there anything I can really say on this? We offer him a pay-rise, he takes it like a slap in the face because he doesn’t think it’s enough. If at work you we valued as a vital member of the team and you boss tells you that you’re getting pay-rise. So he tells you what your new salary is, you wouldn’t go: “Are you having a fucking laugh? I’m worth much more than that.”

“Ash! Are you listening?” said a virtually hyperventilating Jonathan. “I’m here in the office and David Dein is saying they aren’t going to give you £60k a week. They’ve agreed £55k and this is their best and final offer. Are you happy with that?”

When I heard Jonathan (Barnett) repeat the figure of £55k, I nearly swerved off the road. “He is taking the piss, Jonathan!” I yelled down the phone. I was so incensed. I was trembling with anger. I couldn’t believe what I’d heard. I suppose it all started to fall apart for me from then on. I’d trusted Mr Dein to push the deal through.

So you’re not a greedy money grabber? But you’re desperate for that £5,000? The £60k agreed was including all expenses so when that dickhead Jonathan Barnett asked for his salary on top of that, that’s what caused the fuss. Why should be pay him? Does he do anything for the club? No. I’m sure none of this would have happened if it weren’t for that twat of an agent.

Arsenal’s final game at Highbury on May 7 was an emotional day for everyone, but even more so for me. “I can’t believe this is going to be my last game in England wearing an Arsenal shirt,” I thought as our coach pulled into the famous marble halls. There was no future left for me at the club any more. I knew that. Cheryl (Tweedy, his wife) knew that. Mum knew that.

My worst fears were confirmed when, as Thierry (Henry) and I sat in the centre circle after the final whistle, his name was sung from the rooftops while my contribution was recognised by a deafening silence. As his chants faded away we waited for mine. And we waited. And there was nothing. “They’re not bothered about me,” I said, resigned to the fact. It was like I was the invisible man.

I’m sorry Ash but you are not Thierry Henry. As much as you might want to be, and as much as you might want his money and talent. You are not Thierry Henry. He is a true great for Arsenal and has never done anything wrong and has been loyal. So you expect to just sit there and expect the same praise as Thierry Henry after all the shit you’ve had with us?

That night I went out and got hammered at the Embassy nightclub but, unlike other years, no other Arsenal player joined me. Instead, I found myself at the end-of-season Premiership bash with John Terry, Joe Cole, Carlton Cole, Damien Duff and a few of the other Chelsea lads. The champions were out on the town, celebrating and sticking together; the kind of camaraderie that used to bind Arsenal together.

“That night I went out and got hammered”. Just shows what you are like Ashley. With the fucking Champions League Final around the corner it’s not the sort of thing you can afford to do. And have you not got any friends to go out with?

When I got back it became clear that Arsenal were late to open up negotiations, Madrid were nowhere and all the paper talk was about Chelsea. Peter Kenyon made a £16 million offer but David Dein wanted £30 million; the same man who had told the FAPL inquiry that my value was between £15 and £20 million. I felt like a bargaining chip, with the stakes too high. It felt to me that Arsenal had done nothing to keep me and now it seemed obstacles were piling up at the exit door.

If we can get a bit of money from the sale of you why is that a problem. If anyone sells anything in the world they’ll try and get the best possible price for it won’t they? And that thing about being valued at £20m and trying to get £30m. 1. It was Chelsea we were selling to. 2. They are a Premiership rival that will be enhanced by your signing. 3. You are English. 4. You are one of the best left-backs around. How can he possible say we’ve done anything wrong?

We’d also discussed Chelsea after the boss told me not to rule them out. Somehow, while lazing in the sun in the Indian Ocean, the switch from north to west London didn’t seem so bad.

“I’ll get hammered if I go there, the Arsenal fans will never forgive me,” I said to Cheryl one evening. It took her to point out the blinding obvious: “They’ve hammered you anyway and they’ve never forgiven you for the past 18 months . . . so what’s the difference?”

How did we ‘hammer’ you? Just because we didn’t sing your name on May 7th that doesn’t mean we ‘hammered’ you. We weren’t exactly singing fuck off Ashley Cole. Oh Well, I’m glad he’s gone now.

The point of Ashley Cole’s book was clear his case and make him look less like a money-grabbing idiot, in fact I think it’s shed light on what’s really gone on and made him look like a fool.

I think that’s enough for today, I wanted to talk about our team and why we’re not working etc but I’ll save that for another day. Until then.