Week 2: Who was/is better? Les Ferdinand or Andy Cole

[SiLvOR]

Cole definitely improved as a footballer while at Manchester United.  He was very raw and played on instinct for us. Always had confidence in him scoring unless he had time to think about it.

 

I think he was a better striker for us, because he didn't overthink things like you say, he just used to hit it

 

At Man U I found he used to take an extra touch sometimes which would cause him to miss, but his all round game play definitely improved.

[NG32]

Some intersting things from that season with Cole firing them in from all over - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993%E2%80%9394_Newcastle_United_F.C._season

[Ronaldo]

I cant seperate them...

 

Both had differnt abilities and qualities.

 

Sad that their time was short at NUFC.

 

 

Both went on to have great careers after NUFC, especially Cole.  Alot of ex NUFC players drift away to nothing.

 

Ferdinand's career amounted to nowt after NUFC. Hate to say it because he was a top man and a top player.

[NG32]

I cant seperate them...

 

Both had differnt abilities and qualities.

 

Sad that their time was short at NUFC.

 

 

Both went on to have great careers after NUFC, especially Cole.  Alot of ex NUFC players drift away to nothing.

 

Ferdinand's career amounted to nowt after NUFC. Hate to say it because he was a top man and a top player.

Ok, he had a couple of good season at Spurs and was still highly regarded by the football press and media.

 

Unlike some of the other players we have rid ourselves of over the years.

 

 

[Mick]

 

 

Ferdinand's career amounted to nowt after NUFC. Hate to say it because he was a top man and a top player.

 

Was his career ever going to amount to much after he left us considering his age?  Keegan sold Cole to bring in Ferdinand and I think he was possibly right.

[Rich]

 

 

Ferdinand's career amounted to nowt after NUFC. Hate to say it because he was a top man and a top player.

 

Was his career ever going to amount to much after he left us considering his age?  Keegan sold Cole to bring in Ferdinand and I think he was possibly right.

 

When KK and Terry McDermott were back last time around I think they admitted that wasn't the case, with Terry Mac saying he had whispered "oh no he doesn't" to Keegan on the steps as one fan was saying "we should back off, Kevin will have a replacement lined-up" (sic).

 

I'll try and find the source, but have a feeling it was video rather than written.

 

EDIT: Was actually from a Keegan talk-in:

 

There were a number of reasons that Andy Cole was sold He learned more about the club in the 20 minutes he spent talking to fans at the top of the steps following the sale than at any other time in his career. It was Kevin’s idea to go and do this as he felt the fans deserved an explanation because it was “their” club. It was the only time he was ever booed by fans when he walked out of reception, but it soon calmed down. One fan shouted, “Let’s be honest – he’s not going to sell Cole unless he had someone lined up to replace him”. Unbeknown to him, the club didn’t have a replacement lined up and Terry McDermott muttered behind Kevin “Oh yes he would!”

 

In terms of the question at hand here: I think Cole was better, personally, and became a better all-round footballer after he left us in addition to being a better goalscorer than Ferdinand anyway.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Just reminds of us selling Cole, and the pure I felt at the time. I'd edge it to him probably, but Sir Les was a very good player, and probably the better all round footballer.

 

It was crazy, our teacher put the radio on at school because nobody could believe it was true. Everyone crowded round completely stunned.

[sempuki]

Cole was probably better because of his finishing although Sir Les was by far the more likeable.

[Hughesy]

Could you get two more different levels of heading ability? I don't think I have even seen a worse header of the ball for a top class striker than Cole and a better one than Les.

[ujpest doza]

Cole by a country mile.

 

Ferdinand was a flat track bully who couldn't hit a barn door when we really needed him to.

[mrmojorisin75]

Cole by a country mile.

 

Ferdinand was a flat track bully who couldn't hit a barn door when we really needed him to.

 

the 0-1 to manyoo at home

[ujpest doza]

Cole by a country mile.

 

Ferdinand was a flat track bully who couldn't hit a barn door when we really needed him to.

 

the 0-1 to manyoo at home

Not just that game, his goals dried up in the 2nd half of that season when the pressure was on.

[mrmojorisin75]

Cole by a country mile.

 

Ferdinand was a flat track bully who couldn't hit a barn door when we really needed him to.

 

the 0-1 to manyoo at home

Not just that game, his goals dried up in the 2nd half of that season when the pressure was on.

 

of course, but that the epitomy of him losing his form when we most needed it, as you stated

[Incognito]

Cole by a country mile.

 

Ferdinand was a flat track bully who couldn't hit a barn door when we really needed him to.

 

the 0-1 to manyoo at home

Not just that game, his goals dried up in the 2nd half of that season when the pressure was on.

 

of course, but that the epitomy of him losing his form when we most needed it, as you stated

 

To be fair to Les, Schmeichel had his career defining game that night.

[TRon]

Cole by a country mile.

 

Ferdinand was a flat track bully who couldn't hit a barn door when we really needed him to.

 

Got to agree with this.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

They were both completely different strikers. I loved them both, but Cole will always have a special place in my heart as he was my first true footballing hero. I actually cried when he left.

 

Back then I used to collect the Premier League stickers and it was pretty much a given in my circle of friends that the 3 best strikers in the league were 1) Shearer, 2) Sir Les and 3) Andy Cole, this when the latter was banging in 41 goals for us. What they had over Cole was a better all-round game. But then he was only 21 at the time.

 

Cole for me went on to become a very rounded striker and was in many ways underrated in that sense. At Newcastle it was said he was a mere finisher of chances, who had the brilliant Beardsley alongside him to thank for all his goals. That may be true to some degree, but he was much more than just a finisher and Beardsley himself said of Cole that without his runs, movement and predatory instincts most of his balls to Cole would have been in vain.

 

To score 41 goals in 30 odd games at the age of 21 in his debut season was sensational and the kind of figures we see from the likes or Ronaldo and Messi today. He was such a machine, single minded and needed not even a half a chance at times to score. For us he was free as a bird and it showed in his game and his at the time iconic smile whenever he scored.

 

At Man Utd he become a more rounded footballer but he lost that bit individualism, that spark that made him so lethal in front of goal and so exciting to watch. Fergie later did the same with Rooney, knocking that youthful 'no fear' out of him.

 

The only player I've ever seen more determined to score a goal than Cole in our colours is Shearer. Enough said.

 

Sir Les had it all, but mentally he wasn't the strongest. When he was having an off day his touch, pace, strength and finishing was even more off. With Cole, we only ever saw on off day when he was really struggling for fitness, but even then he was still clinical in front of goal.

 

Sir Less was the better all-rounder player, but Cole was something else for the brief time we had him. We won't see another goalscorer like him or see another season from one of our players than the one he gave us in 93/94. He was sensational, they all were and so was that season.

 

I love KK, but I think he got it wrong when he replaced Cole with Sir Les, even though he replaced him with a better all-rounder. Sir Les gave us something else in that title challenging season, but nothing Cole couldn't have given us and while I don't think Shearer and Cole would have worked, I think with a fully fit Cole in 95-96, we would have won the league in my opinion.

[cp40]

 

 

Ferdinand's career amounted to nowt after NUFC. Hate to say it because he was a top man and a top player.

 

Was his career ever going to amount to much after he left us considering his age?  Keegan sold Cole to bring in Ferdinand and I think he was possibly right.

 

When KK and Terry McDermott were back last time around I think they admitted that wasn't the case, with Terry Mac saying he had whispered "oh no he doesn't" to Keegan on the steps as one fan was saying "we should back off, Kevin will have a replacement lined-up" (sic).

 

I'll try and find the source, but have a feeling it was video rather than written.

 

EDIT: Was actually from a Keegan talk-in:

 

There were a number of reasons that Andy Cole was sold He learned more about the club in the 20 minutes he spent talking to fans at the top of the steps following the sale than at any other time in his career. It was Kevin’s idea to go and do this as he felt the fans deserved an explanation because it was “their” club. It was the only time he was ever booed by fans when he walked out of reception, but it soon calmed down. One fan shouted, “Let’s be honest – he’s not going to sell Cole unless he had someone lined up to replace him”. Unbeknown to him, the club didn’t have a replacement lined up and Terry McDermott muttered behind Kevin “Oh yes he would!”

 

In terms of the question at hand here: I think Cole was better, personally, and became a better all-round footballer after he left us in addition to being a better goalscorer than Ferdinand anyway.

 

 

 

 

I think they thought they could get Les if the sold cole, only to have to wait till the following summer, that season after we sold him in Jan? we slipped away in the league finishing 6th and looking devoid of any sort of central attack for many games.

 

 

For me, the first half of the season where people are saying his form cost us the title,  I thought he looked like one of the best ever players id seen here. His power and all round game puts him ahead of Cole for me.

 

Cole was great in the promotion push, though I think we would have got there without him, and that first season back finishing 3rd, the goal scoring record.

Never forget that night against Villa- but I never felt comfortable with him, always seemed 1 game away from walking out on the club. ( bit like KK i suppose )

 

Ferdinand for me.

[Ronaldo]

Could you get two more different levels of heading ability?

 

Yes, Ferdinand and Duncan Ferguson at one end of the spectrum and Shola at the other.

[Ronaldo]

They were both completely different strikers. I loved them both, but Cole will always have a special place in my heart as he was my first true footballing hero. I actually cried when he left.

 

Back then I used to collect the Premier League stickers and it was pretty much a given in my circle of friends that the 3 best strikers in the league were 1) Shearer, 2) Sir Les and 3) Andy Cole, this when the latter was banging in 41 goals for us. What they had over Cole was a better all-round game. But then he was only 21 at the time.

 

Cole for me went on to become a very rounded striker and was in many ways underrated in that sense. At Newcastle it was said he was a mere finisher of chances, who had the brilliant Beardsley alongside him to thank for all his goals. That may be true to some degree, but he was much more than just a finisher and Beardsley himself said of Cole that without his runs, movement and predatory instincts most of his balls to Cole would have been in vain.

 

To score 41 goals in 30 odd games at the age of 21 in his debut season was sensational and the kind of figures we see from the likes or Ronaldo and Messi today. He was such a machine, single minded and needed not even a half a chance at times to score. For us he was free as a bird and it showed in his game and his at the time iconic smile whenever he scored.

 

At Man Utd he become a more rounded footballer but he lost that bit individualism, that spark that made him so lethal in front of goal and so exciting to watch. Fergie later did the same with Rooney, knocking that youthful 'no fear' out of him.

 

The only player I've ever seen more determined to score a goal than Cole in our colours is Shearer. Enough said.

 

Sir Les had it all, but mentally he wasn't the strongest. When he was having an off day his touch, pace, strength and finishing was even more off. With Cole, we only ever saw on off day when he was really struggling for fitness, but even then he was still clinical in front of goal.

 

Sir Less was the better all-rounder player, but Cole was something else for the brief time we had him. We won't see another goalscorer like him or see another season from one of our players than the one he gave us in 93/94. He was sensational, they all were and so was that season.

 

I love KK, but I think he got it wrong when he replaced Cole with Sir Les, even though he replaced him with a better all-rounder. Sir Les gave us something else in that title challenging season, but nothing Cole couldn't have given us and while I don't think Shearer and Cole would have worked, I think with a fully fit Cole in 95-96, we would have won the league in my opinion.

 

All true.

[jackyboy]

impossible to compare as they were totally different types of player.  Andy Cole was terrific with Beardsley buzzing around him and Shearer and Les were a great partnership during which time Shearer produced his best football for the club

[Ronaldo]

If Shearer and Ferdinand were a great partnership I'd like to know what superlative you'd throw at Beardsley and Cole.

[Mick]

If Shearer and Ferdinand were a great partnership I'd like to know what superlative you'd throw at Beardsley and Cole.

 

It's ridiculous that we had them both in such a relatively short time between each other.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

One other thing with cole was his heading ability, it was very underrated. He was no Sir Les or Shearer in the air but he could score with his head and he wasn't as one footed as some of his strikes would have you believe either. Cole was great at receiving a pass with his back to goal, turning and finding the far corner of the net with a simple side footed strike, often through bodies or legs, and all in milliseconds. He had power and strength too. What set him apart though was his running and the timing of his runs. I don't think I saw him off-side once for us. He obviously got flagged, but very rarely, from what I can remember.

 

For the slick football we played, he was perfect and that's why he scored 41 goals and why we finished so high, because the service came from everywhere, the wings, through the middle, over the top, from counter attacks, from build-up play and from set-pieces of course. We were a very slick footballing side that debut season.

 

We become more aggressive and more direct going forward when Sir Les was signed, which was obviously the way KK wanted us to play. It worked for the first 5 or so months of the season, but with Cole up front, we could play numerous ways. We hit a brick-wall in terms of our attacking play towards the end of the title run in and the opposition were finding it easier to live with us, if not exactly keep us from scoring.

 

Happy days!

[Froggy]

Loving how close this. I actually expected Ferdinand to win this by a few.

[Ronaldo]

Loving how close this. I actually expected Ferdinand to win this by a few.

 

Why? Cole was the better player who scored more goals for us and had the better career. Loved Les but it's cut and dried, this one.