Thierry Henry offered a stunned reaction to Roy Keane as the pair debated former Arsenal and Chelsea star Ashley Cole’s status within the game.
Cole won two Premier League titles at Arsenal – including their iconic Invincible season – before he joined Chelsea in a controversial move in 2006.
The left back went on to win the Premier League title with Chelsea in 2010 and four FA Cups.
Cole was also a key part of the Blues side that won the Champions League for the first time in 2012.
While Cole was widely viewed as one of the best left backs in the world during his career, Arsenal legend Henry believes his status within the game remains underappreciated.
‘I don’t understand why in this country, he doesn’t get respect. Ashley Cole was outstanding,’ Henry said, speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.
Thierry Henry was stunned by Roy Keane’s assessment of his former team-mate Ashley Cole
Henry lauded former team-mate Cole as arguably the best left back he has ever seen
Cole won two Premier League titles at Arsenal before winning a third after moving to Chelsea
‘Firstly, in 2000, Ashley went to Crystal Palace on loan, and he saved them from relegation, playing as a winger. When you have a left-back that can dribble past their winger, he was the one who created space for the rest of the team.
‘He opened everything. I would be dumb not to find a situation where I would be alone because the midfielder had to shuffle across, Robert [Pires] was moving, I am going in behind. He started everything.
‘Ashley Cole for me, there is a battle for him not to be the best left back I have ever seen. Going forward, defending, the desire, what he won, and where he won it.’
Former Man United captain Keane, however, surprised Henry by responding ‘I think he [Ashley Cole] was a brilliant player but when you talk about great left backs, he doesn’t spring to my mind.’
A stunned Henry replied: ‘But why not? Why is he not even in the discussion at time, why don’t you hear his name?’.
Gary Neville and Keane questioned as to whether the nature of Cole’s move from Arsenal to Chelsea had played a part in the perceptions around the left back.
Cole left Arsenal for Chelsea in exchange for £5million and French centre-back William Gallas.
The left back had bene pictured meeting Chelsea’s manager Jose Mourinho and chief executive Peter Kenyon in London while still under contract at Arsenal.
Keane claimed Cole did not ‘spring to mind’ when talking about great left backs, an assertion that left Henry shocked
Gary Neville and Keane suggested Cole’s controversial move to Chelsea may have impacted perceptions of the star
Cole was last year inducted into the Premier League’s Hall of Fame in recognition of his career
Cole was fined £100,000, later reduced to £75,000 for breaching Premier League Rule K5 which prohibits negotiating with another club while still under contract. Chelsea and Mourinho were also punished.
In his 2006 autobiography My Defence, Cole also wrote that he nearly crashed his car and was ‘trembling with anger’ when he discovered the Gunners were only willing to pay him £55,000 per week.
Henry, however, came to Cole’s defence over his contract demands by confirming Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein had gone back on an initial agreement with the star.
‘Ashley Cole is an Arsenal man, I don’t care what people say, Ashley Cole is Arsenal,’ Henry said.
‘At the time he did not want to say what happened, but Mr [David] Dein has since apologised.
‘They shook hands on something and then they came back with something else. I understood Ashley, but why don’t people get the respect for what he has done.’
Cole was last year inducted into the Premier League’s Hall of Fame in recognition of his career.
Alongside his hat-trick of Premier League crowns, he made 385 appearances and won 62 per cent of the matches he played in. He contributed to 147 clean sheets, scored 15 goals and made 31 assists, underlining his ability at both ends of the pitch.
He is widely seen as the Premier League’s greatest left-back of all time, while he also made 107 appearances for the English national team.
Thierry Henry was speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.
