Roy Hodgson has confessed he might not have signed Joe Cole had he been more settled in his role as Liverpool manager when the deal was rubber-stamped.
Hodgson gave the green light to the signing during the summer transfer window, but the foundations had already been laid before his arrival by former managing director, Christian Purslow. Cole arrived on a free transfer, with Liverpool fending off reported interest from Tottenham and Arsenal, but Hodgson confesses he does not consider the England international one of his own signings.
"He's not so much a player I can really take responsibility for. I'd have to share the responsibility for Joe, less so than for people like [Christian] Poulsen, [Raul] Meireles and [Paul] Konchesky, who are players I was quite happy to bring to the club."
Cole has endured a tough first six months to his Liverpool career, earning a red card on his league debut, and he is yet to open his domestic account for the Reds. For a player that has never been blessed with pace or a quality left foot, there are suggestions that Hodgson is playing Cole out of position on the left wing, but the Liverpool manager insists the problem is with the player himself.
"He should be convincing me and everyone watching that this is a player who can help Liverpool win things. And I think you couldn't say that has been the case so far."
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