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CHELSEA FC: JOE: I WANT TO PLAY FOREVER

/noticias.info/ If selected tomorrow, Joe Cole will make his 200th Chelsea appearance, a feat that leaves the winger with a huge sense of pride.

Having signed in 2003, Cole is focusing on the trip to Wigan and gaining a second FA Cup winners' medal to back up his two league championships and Carling Cups, but he took time out from training to discuss the past four-and-a-half seasons.

'It's a great honour, and if I could pause time and just play, I'd play for Chelsea forever,' he smiled. 'It goes too quickly. I just want to keep playing, keep winning things and enjoy it as much as I can, there are so many happy times, and hopefully I get a few more appearances under my belt too.'

With so much silverware already, and the development as a player that has made him a shoo-in for England and a near ever-present at Stamford Bridge, it was hard for Cole to pick out one crowning moment of his Chelsea career to date, and he finally settled on back-to-back Premier League successes.

'Winning the two titles is the best memory, I think the first one was a strange one for me, we won at Bolton away but had the biggest game of our careers against Liverpool three days later,' he explained, 'so it wasn't until the home game against Charlton the following week when we won that it sunk in.

'When the final whistle went it was very emotional, as I was a Chelsea fan and I wasn't expecting it, but I had to bite my lip at the end, I thought I was going to start crying.'

Inevitably, there have also been a few disappointments along the way, but the former West Ham man prefers to focus on the positives.

'The worst moment, I can't even say there is one,' he pondered. 'I am just so happy to be a footballer. There are disappointing moments, like injuries are disappointing for me.

'I think this time last season I wasn't coming back from my knee injury and had a big decision to make about an operation. Things like that are bad times but even in those times I can always appreciate how lucky I am to play football for Chelsea, the team I supported as a boy, and I always try and appreciate that.'

If he feels lucky to be here, we certainly feel lucky to have him, as he has helped the side to seven straight wins going into tomorrow's FA Cup fourth round clash at the JJB Stadium.

It is a game Cole approaches with confidence, having netted the game's only goal at Everton on Wednesday evening, and with a squad bolstered by strong signings.

'I think we've been immense in the last few games. At Birmingham we were a bit rickety, but the wins keep stacking up and I think we'll push them all the way,' Cole said of the club's four trophy campaigns.

'In training the two new signings look brilliant. Nicolas will score bundles of goals for us, and I've only trained with Ivanovic twice but he looks terrific,' Cole finished.

He will be joined on 200 appearances by Claude Makelele tomorrow, if the pair are chosen to play by Avram Grant. notas_de_prensa_archivo