Cole Sent As Punishment Branded Rubbish / Cooper

Man In Question
By Scott Cooper
December 4 2002

Chelsea Chief Exec Trevor Birch has rules off storys hinting that Carlton Cole was sent to Wolves as a punishment and Kevin Cooper gives his views on an Important Fixture for Wolves.

Chelsea Chief Executive Trevor Birch has crushed reports in the press regarding a story about the complication of Carlton Cole`s loan move to Wolves.

 Reports claimed that Carlton Cole was sent to Wolves by Chelsea as an act of punishment after the Striker turned up late for a Reserve game in the middle of last week.

 Birch has also confirmed that Cole is certainly a highlight in Claudio Ranieri's future plans and that there will be no option for Wolves to buy the player once the Loan has finnished.

 Talking to the clubs official website Birch said "It's absolute nonsense to suggest we would send a player to another club as a punishment. That would be an act of disrespect.
"Secondly, Wolves' first choice for a loan was meant to be an experienced international, Les Ferdinand. When they couldn't get him, they came for Carlton instead.
"That is how highly he is valued. To take a young, inexperienced striker as an alternative to one who's done it all, I think is high praise.
"Carlton is a young man with great prospects and needs to be allowed to grow up in the harsh world of professional football as quietly and quickly as possible. Going out on loan is part of that development,"

  Meanwhile Wolves Left-Sided midfielder, who in the absence of Shaun Newton has been playing on the right has branded Wolves` next Home League game against Norwich as a must-win game and ensures the players are up for it and will be seeking revenge as it was the Canaries who dumped Wolves out of the Play-Offs last season.

 Talking to WOW, Kevin Cooper said "If anything, the lads will be more determined to get a result at the weekend," said Cooper. "It's a game that will affect the top six or seven places in the division and is one that we must win.
"This is an important stage of the season for us and we want to close the gap between us and the top.''