What a waste of money Andy Cole is. Yes, he was a good player at Newcastle, scoring 55 goals in 69 league matches - and I guess even better at Manchester United, where he spent the longest part of his career, scoring 93 goals in 161 league matches during the Old Trafford glory years.

But now Cole, who will be 36 in October, is a veteran footballer. The former £8m hitman should be thinking about the lower leagues on a part-time basis, not a newly-promoted Premier League team. True, there are older players who have lived with the pace in the top flight - just look at Teddy Sheringham. But Cole has become lazy. When Blackburn bought him for £6m from United, he thought he was bigger than the club and was unpopular with Rovers fans. He was a waste of space, especially when teamed with the equally big-headed and lazy Dwight Yorke, a player Cole can now play with again at Sunderland.

Cole has scored over 200 league goals in just over 400 matches and maybe that's why Roy Keane and Niall Quinn have agreed to give him the benefit of the doubt. But if I was a Sunderland supporter, I would be worried.

'Cole was a waste of space at Blackburn, especially when teamed with the equally big-headed and lazy Dwight Yorke, a player he can now play with again at Sunderland'


Michael Chopra and Stern John are far more exciting players and have more of a passion for their new team, unlike the money-hungry Cole who just wants his fame all over again. Sunderland should be looking to build a team around new stars, not Premier League veterans. Kieran Richardson, for example, should become a great player for club and indeed country as long as his Big Brother contestant cousin Charlie doesn't get in the way!

Sunderland don't need a 'big name' like Cole to interrupt team development, which has seen them make a good start in the Premier League, full of optimism.  Big names are good for football as long as they are dedicated, passionate and quality players, not has-beens who look for limelight. Take Cole's strike partner Yorke; he spent more time in the papers with Jordan than worrying about his football.  At Blackburn, Cole and Yorke were booed off the pitch, especially when they couldn't be bothered running after the ball on salaries of £40-50,000 a week.

Good luck, Sunderland, team players is what football needs - not spoiled individuals. At least Cole was a free transfer although he is sure to have agreed a nice weekly pay packet.