JOE COLE was egged on by Sven-Goran Eriksson when taking an “attractive woman” back to his hotel room at the 2002 World Cup.
Cole, who was 20, had a frustrating trip to Asia and drowned his sorrows at the post-tournament knees-up.
Sven-Goran Eriksson managed England between 2001 and 2006Credit: Reuters
– the boss at the time – was the last person wanted to see while sneaking out with a female companion at the end of a boozy evening.
But the “fun-loving” Swede was all for Cole letting his hair down and gave him a memorable one-word seal of approval.
Cole recalled in his autobiography, Luxury Player: “The World Cup had not gone very well for me. I had played just 16 minutes in all.
“I decided that, all things considered, I would like to get drunk. By about 4am Japan time, I had accomplished my mission.
“I was waiting for the lift back to my room and caught sight of myself in the mirror. On my head a jester’s hat, acquired from I don’t know where. My shirt unbuttoned. A bottle of champagne in my hand.
“I might also add that I was going to be sharing the lift with a woman a few years older than me who I had been chatting to at the party.
“The lift pinged, the doors opened and there was Sven-Goran Eriksson – with his partner at the time, Nancy Dell’Olio.
“I could see how this must have looked. What to do next? For a moment Sven and I stared at each other and then I chose what I considered my best option. I raised my fists in celebration and shouted, “WAHEYYY”. And Sven laughed and shouted “WAHEYYY” back at me.
“Sven was a fun-loving guy. He was never going to criticise a player for leaving a party in the early hours with an attractive woman he had just met, because that was exactly what Sven planned to do himself most of the time.”
Eriksson had a reputation for being a ladies’ man due to high-profile flings with Dell’Olio, TV star and former FA secretary Faria Alam.
and hero Cole went on to be a regular fixture in his England sides, scoring 10 goals in 56 games at international level.
Eriksson’s Three Lions tenure ended in 2006 and he remains a much-loved figure, having passed away last year at the age of 76.
Joe Cole has shared juicy details from his career in his new autobiographyCredit: Getty
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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