Ashley Cole has revealed he is prepared to step a side for fellow Arsenal Academy graduate Kieran Gibbs, in a week which will see the former Gunners favourite write his name into English history.
Cole is set to earn his 87th cap for England on Wednesday, which will see him over take Arsenal legend Kenny Samson as the Three Lions’ most capped full back. Yet the 30-year-old, who has a fractured relationship with Arsenal fans following his acrimonious transfer to Chelsea, is already thinking about his international future.
England have struggled to produce realistic competition for Cole in recent years, but many believe Kieran Gibbs, who won his first cap against France last year, is the most significant challenger to emerge for a long time. Gibbs was demoted back to the Under 21′s when the latest squads were announced, but Cole is backing his fellow Londoner to break through, and he won’t stand in his way.
“Hopefully one day people like Kieran Gibbs will get a chance. I don’t want to block people like that, he’s a great young player coming through and maybe soon it will be time for him to start playing.”
Cole’s development makes him possibly the most successful of all the players who have come through the system at Arsenal, and Wednesday will be a proud day for everybody connected with the club, despite the sour taste that was left after that now infamous move to Chelsea.
Despite that, Ashley won’t stop a potential Arsenal star of the future from following in his footsteps on the international scene.