GOAL Convo: Carlton Cole talks West Ham, the Premier League and his unique perspective on the American game
It never really hit Carlton Cole just how much time he's spent around American soccer. But as he sits deep in the bowels of Atlanta United's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, it starts to all come together.
There was the MLS All-Star Game back in 2008, when he led the line for West Ham against a team that included David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Juan Pablo Angel. There was that brief stay in the USL with the Sacramento Republic at the tail end of his playing career. There was that life-changing week in Raleigh for the initial TST, too.
All unique and, in some ways, weird experiences that have helped him find his own place in the wild world of the American game.
And while he is still eager to pick a fight with anyone that calls the game soccer instead of football, Cole has found his own appreciation for the sport in the U.S., and it's that appreciation that recently brought him to Atlanta. He arrived to represent West Ham, the club near and dear to his heart, as they prepare to embark on their own American adventure this summer.
The Hammers will take part in the Premier League Summer Series alongside Manchester United, Bournemouth and Everton, playing in Atlanta, Chicago and New Jersey in the English league's latest push to market itself to the ever-growing American market. Cole is at the forefront, visiting training facilities, bars and MLS stadiums to, as he so eloquently puts it, "spread the good name of West Ham United".
Now seven years since he's retired, Cole remains totally connected to West Ham, the club he represented for a decade of his life. He scored 68 goals across 293 appearances for the club, living some of his best and worst moments in the claret and blue.
The days of him wearing that shirt are long over, but he's now the London club's renaissance man: part-time ambassador, part-time youth mentor, part-time loans manager and, at least for one summer, part-time player. In some ways, he's Mr. West Ham, which is why he'll be right at the forefront of the club's American push this summer.
"Listen, because of football, I've gotten to travel the world," Cole tells GOAL. "I've met so many different people that all have different perspectives of the game, and it's all been beautiful, man. When you summarize it and add it up, football takes me across the whole world and I still get to enjoy it from a different point of view. It's been a great journey so far, and it's still ongoing for me. That's why I like to say that football has been a joy to my life in all aspects."
Ahead of the West Ham's big summer, Cole discussed the club's aims, the growth of American soccer and the joy of representing his team in the latest GOAL Convo, a recurring Q&A with central figures in soccer.
West Ham UnitedON THE JOY OF BEING A WEST HAM AMBASSADOR
GOAL: You've gotten to experience so many different things with West Ham, particularly in the United States. You've played in an MLS All-Star game and TST. You've gone to bars and events all over the country where you have this connection to fans an ocean away. That's the dream, in many ways, to continue that connection even after you're done playing. What's that like for you?
COLE: I've got to put some respect on West Ham United's name. They didn't have to give me the opportunity to be a coach. They didn't have to give me an opportunity to be the loans manager or a mentor for the club, let alone be an ambassador for the club. That carries a big weight to carry around the world. Basically I'm like a walking badge, a human emblem of West Ham United. I walk around the whole world with that badge on my head, and it does carry its weight. It's a testament to how the fans view me and recognizing I always gave my 100 percent to the club. I never shied away from any type of challenge. I stayed with the club when it was going through bad days and I'll always stay with the club the good days. I'll always be there as long as I live.
I've got to always thank the fans first, because they put me in this position, and yes, with a little bit of help by the uppers at the club, but they recognize how much my connection with the fans would help the club and go to the next level with the club after my career. They saw the potential in me, and then I've run with it. It's just been one of those ones where I really appreciate the love I do get and and the respect I do get being one of the one of the ambassadors of the club to spread the good name of West Ham United.
GOAL: You've been in America plenty of times, but this recent trip is to get ready for the Premier League Summer Series. What are your interactions like with American fans and, particularly, West Ham fans in America?
COLE: You get into these conversations of like "I've got a friend that supports West Ham, can you do a video?" or "I had a friend that had West Ham close to their heart and they died not so long ago." There's something where there's this feeling, like a spiritual connection. It's just about having something in common with somebody. When I go around with my experience, not everyone supports West Ham United, but they respect the sport and that's the main thing. They call it soccer, I call it football and we'll have that argument as well! There's always people to connect with with Americans and this sport.
For me, West Ham United are well respected all over the world. Everyone knows Manchester United. They know Chelsea, Real Madrid. Everyone knows these clubs. I tell people you need to dive in. If you really want to know the sport, you need to delve deeper and understand and connect with some of these clubs, for one reason or another. There's some magnet that draws you to this sport and then you can always get that connection with someone else that loves the sport. There's always something.
AdvertisementWest Ham UnitedON THE GROWING U.S. INTEREST IN WEST HAM
GOAL: Something like the Premier League Summer Series is a real testament to the growth of the league abroad. It's no secret the world's biggest clubs can sell tickets in America, but we're at a point, too, where West Ham can come to America and play in front of thousands of supporters. What has it been like experiencing that growth?
COLE: That was one of our targets a few years back and, actually, we didn't think we could be that big. Football's a growing sport, and to grow it, you have to be a part of the bigger picture. Now, West Ham, we always looked at it and we didn't connect with our fan base over there. We didn't do this. We didn't do that. I think as we started getting into Europe and seeing that, we started to take it a little bit more seriously, because people are starting to recognize it all and now we need to start growing it and building upon it. Sometimes it takes somebody from the club to try and convince the people in the higher ups that this is something worth pursuing, and that's what we are doing now. That's why we're over here.
That's why we're promoting and making sure that we're at the front of the pack when it comes to promoting our club across the world. That's what we're really taking pride in and joy in doing right now. We've got a whole new team dedicated to spreading the club's good name, and that's what we needed, and that's what we're going for. We're growing. We're getting better. I'm not sure we're going to get to Man Utd status just yet, until we win the Premier League, but we're on the way. Hopefully, we can get some good support whilst we're doing that. We're a growing club still. Although we've got so much history, we're still a growing club, and we understand the value of coming to America and making a good go of it to get to the next level with our support and fan base.
GOAL: What are your most looking forward to when West Ham head to the U.S. this summer?
COLE: Listen, the summer is going to bring so much joy. I think Graham Potter next season is going to probably, hopefully, bring in his own players. Some of the players I put out on loan will be returning to the club. Hopefully they get a chance, and you get you guys get to see them live playing here in Atlanta at the Mercedes Benz Stadium. Hopefully, we can see a lot of prospects, plus what the future is going to look like for West Ham.
Plus I'm looking forward to all this stuff that MLS has got to offer for for the season coming up. Also o the World Cup is going to be here soon and you can't forget the Club World Cup. There are going to be so many eyes on the U.S. There's a lot going on for U.S. football at the moment, and I'm looking forward to everything that comes with it.
TSTON HIS EXPERIENCE AT TST
GOAL: You've participated in all sorts of events over here. Is there one that stands out?
COLE: Loads of them. TST was really good. I actually enjoyed it, although we didn't attack it the way we should have attacked it because we thought it was just a vets game! We weren't prepared so we got spanked, really. We were not happy as older pros seeing these younger kids running around us. We didn't look at TST as a success, per se, but what we did get out of it was some good moments.
We had some good times. It was memorable and it was nice to see all of the old veterans get together and try and make something happen. We became tighter as veterans because, after your career, everyone goes about their business and doesn't regroup. We've known each other for so long, and we used that as the catalyst to get our group back together. After that, we've been more united than ever.
GettyON JARROD BOWEN
GOAL: West Ham have a star right now in Jarrod Bowen, who really has become the face of the club. He's representing the club on the international level, too. How good is he and how important is he for the club both right now and in the future?
COLE: Jarrod Bowen's a player that I admire. He's one of those guys that you can rely on. For me, he's one of those players that you need in your team, because he'll do the running. No matter what, he'll give you at least a 10 out of 10 effort. That all you need and that's all you can ask from any player. If you don't have those type of players in your team, you will struggle. That's why he's been our captain, because he shows the way to put 100 percent in. He's so important for our club at this moment in time. He scored the winning goal, obviously, in the Europa Conference League, which won us our first trophy in so many from so many years, 40 years.
Now we're looking at him and thinking, "OK, go on, what else can you do?" He's playing for England. He's really gravitating towards the captaincy role now. He's really taking that on and embracing it. I'm really excited for his future at the club. He's even marrying into a West Ham United family! Danny Dyer's his father in law now, so it just shows you where his head's at. He's going to be remaining with the club until the day he dies. You can't move because he's West Ham United through and through.