Joe Cole has angered Hull City supporters by declaring the newly promoted side are “gone” before their Premier League campaign has even begun, while also claiming he avoided punditry duties for their opening fixture against Manchester United by putting his phone on ‘do not disturb’.
The former Chelsea and England midfielder made the remarks during a podcast with his former West Ham team-mate Carlton Cole. Asked which teams he expected to be relegated this season, Cole replied: ‘Hull are gone, man’.
He also questioned the manner of Hull’s promotion, saying they had reached the Premier League ‘through the back door’.
Cole then said he had ‘a confession to make’ about the opening weekend of the season. According to his account, TNT Sports had contacted him and ‘tried to slip in Hull on the first day of the season’.
‘I put my phone on Do Not Disturb,’ he said.
However, Daily Mail Sport understands the comments have left senior figures at TNT Sports bemused. Sources at the broadcaster reportedly said Cole was not scheduled to cover Hull’s match at the MKM Stadium against Manchester United and had never been expected to take part in the coverage.
The remarks have nevertheless prompted a strong reaction in East Yorkshire ahead of the match, with Hull supporters expressing their frustration across social media.
Fans have described Cole’s comments as ‘condescending’ and ‘disrespectful’. Some have gone further by suggesting Hull should prevent the former England international from entering the club’s stadium.
The strength of the reaction has also been noted inside the Hull camp. Sources have said players and staff are aware of what Cole said and are planning to use it as additional motivation before what is expected to be a demanding return to the top flight.
Hull secured promotion by winning the Championship play-off final, earning their place in the Premier League for the season ahead. Their opening assignment is a home meeting with Manchester United, a fixture which will begin their attempt to establish themselves in the division.
Cole’s prediction that Hull are already destined for relegation has therefore created tension before the season has started. His claim that he did not want to cover the game has added to the criticism, even though TNT Sports insiders insist he was never due to be involved in the broadcast from the MKM Stadium.
The former Chelsea player’s comments came as part of a wider discussion about the teams likely to struggle in the Premier League, but it was the brief assessment of Hull, alongside his description of their promotion route, that has drawn the most attention from supporters.