Carlton Cole has explained why he left Celtic over the summer.
Carlton Cole in action for Celtic
Former Celtic striker Carlton Cole has been quoted by The Scottish Sun as saying that he had a great time in Glasgow, but left in search of a move to the United States.
Cole, 32, joined Celtic back in October 2015, having been released by West Ham United after 68 goals in 293 games for the Hammers.
Carlton Cole
A veteran striker with a physical presence, Cole was brought to Celtic with the hope of adding a new dimension to Ronny Deila’s attack – but his move proved to be a major failure.
Cole struggled for fitness during his time at Celtic Park, and couldn’t get much first-team football behind Leigh Griffiths and eventually Colin Kazim-Richards, meaning he left over the summer with just one goal in five games to his name.
Carlton Cole (R) scores for Celtic
The former England international is now playing in the United States with United Soccer League side Sacramento Republic, where he’s playing under former Luton Town and Bristol Rovers boss Paul Buckle.
Celtic appear to have moved on from hoping for the best with veteran free agents like Cole, as Brendan Rodgers has brought in the exciting Moussa Dembele to boost his attack – and Cole has now discussed his time with the club.
Carlton Cole’s presentation as a Celtic player
As quoted by The Scottish Sun, Cole suggested that he really wanted a move to the United States after leaving Celtic, where he claims things just ‘didn’t work out’ – but he added that he still had a great time in Glasgow.
“At Celtic in March I got a bad knee injury. I haven’t played a lot from then until now,” said Cole. “Clubs in England wanted me to train with them before deciding whether to offer me anything. But I really wanted to move to the States. It didn’t work out at Celtic – but I had a great time there,” he added.
What did you think of Cole’s time at Celtic?
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