Ashley Cole gives a heartfelt speech when presenting Morgan Gibbs-White and Angel Gomes with their England legacy caps.
Cole, along with former England colleague Joleon Lescott, recently joined Carsley’s temporary backroom team alongside Tim Dittmer, the FA’s head of coaching.
The trio have worked alongside Carsley with the men’s U21s and were part of the 2023 U21 EURO-winning squad.
Cole, a first-team coach at Birmingham City, is one of only nine men to achieve 100 caps at senior level for England and chalked up five major tournaments as his nation’s sixth most-capped male.
And you can tell just how much playing for England meant to Cole just by watching the speech he gave when awarded the caps…
Stop what you’re doing and watch this 😍@TheRealAC3 presenting @Morgangibbs27 and @agomes_47 with their England legacy caps 🧢 pic.twitter.com/HhdSWBEJx7
— England (@England) September 9, 2024
Cole said: “I think I had 107 caps and it was only till I retired, until I actually understood and valued. I don’t think it’s for you. It’s for your kids, your future. It’s something to be proud of.
“We all have a story. We all have a story and all have a journey in obviously our career and probably people don’t understand the sacrifice you make to make it as a little kid playing where we been brought up, the streets that we played on, the friends we grew up with.
“So something I think you can’t take lightly. You understand. You’ve worked really, really hard for this and I hope you cherish it.
“And hopefully there’s many more to come. Hopefully one day you’ll get a gold one.”
Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White: “Just thank you for all of you, for making me feel so welcome. I’ve had a good time so far and hopefully we can continue on to Tuesday and get a win.”
Cole then awarded the next cap: “This one is for someone special, I think with Angel Gomes probably playing maybe not in this country, and in the four years, three or four years, I’ve got to know you. I think you are an amazing person.
“And again, your story is so different to everyone else’s. And if there’s one player, if you don’t mind me saying, if there’s one player that I really, really hope would get this cap, is you. So again, I hope you continue your journey. And this is for you, mate.”
Angel responded: “I want to thank all of you for making me feel welcome. Like said, hopefully we get the win on Tuesday.”
Angel Gomes, currently at Lille in Ligue 1, said to Athletic in 2023, that he had no regrets leaving England, a move which also included a season in Portugal with Boavista.
“I remember when I made the decision, I read a heap of messages and comments saying: ‘He left for money’,” he said. “It didn’t even make sense. The biggest thing for me was opportunity.”
“That final year at United was one of the hardest things I’ve done in football. Not really being involved, not knowing what’s going to be next. Seeing people doing well, training every week, but not really having opportunities to play. But then come the end of the week and there’s nothing for that. So it feels like you’re just wasting time.”
“Angel is someone who does it week-in, week-out for a team out in France,” Carsley said.
“He is probably different to what we’ve seen in the past in terms of the central midfielder that is a little bit more physical, more robust.
“Angel is very technical, he controls the game with his skill and technique. He is very determined, has an excellent attitude, loves football and technically and tactically he is excellent.”
Twitter users reacted as Ashley Cole gives a heartfelt speech when presenting Gibbs-White and Angel Gomes with England legacy caps…
@Garth_82: He should of been brought into the coaching team a long time ago
@Jay_Cav: Lee Carsley at the end looking like a proud dad with the glasses on his head 👏
@Dan_dan_COYS: Although club allegiances make me not want to praise Ashley Cole, it seems a very good thing to have someone with his career and legacy with England to be in a position to do this.
@Craig_Johnno: Brilliant. And no one better than Ashley Cole to present them with em 👏🏼
@ademir2z: This is a great tradition to have in instilling players’s position in a much wider and longer story of England football. And also great to receive from Ashley Cole who is arguably the best LB England have ever had.
@davefrecks: This is why we are so passionate about our country and our football team. When you watch @England home or away or even in the pubs and TV remember the sacrifices these have to give to get to the very top. 💙⚽️💙⚽️
@Ri62304Rickie: He really is a nice lad ain’t he are Ashley #bcfc
@liamb0117: Ashley Cole being sound wasn’t on my 2024 Bingo card
@JamieGuyan: This is ace!
@jaacknffc: Feel like I’ve just watched my son stand up in school assembly and give a speech
@Chabo_0823: It’s a historic moment, guys. 😍 #nffc
@Gazzaman80: Ashley Cole is quality, never pulled out of England squads at a time when others did. Always gave everything he he had.
@richard_conway: This puts the supposed row about singing the national anthem in context. Credit to @FA. This is about belonging, about the golden thread that connects England players past and present to one another. The continuum. It’s about values and ethos but setting them in a modern context.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login