In fairness, they have a point.
Ashley Cole has never been the most popular player on the planet. For various reasons, many football fans of various clubs don’t especially like him all that much. He has an unfortunate habit of rubbing people up the wrong way, and doesn’t seem particularly bothered if they dislike him for it.
But few can deny that at this peak he was an exceptional footballer. For both Arsenal and Chelsea, he excelled as one of the best fullbacks on the planet. He was an incredible defender, a fine attacking wingback, and ridiculously consistent for a sustained number of seasons.
Appearing as a pundit for Sky Sports’ coverage of Crystal Palace vs Chelsea – two teams he represented during his 15 years in English football – his analysis was solid if not outstanding. The suggestion that Jason Puncheon should be called up for England duty perhaps raised the most eyebrows.
But his sheer presence as a Chelsea legend was enough for Blues fans to make rather unfavourable comparisons to current left-back Marcos Alonso. The 25-year-old Spaniard in only a few months into his Stamford Bridge career, but it seems that the locals are not wholly impressed.
Many were of the same opinion upon seeing their former hero in the Sky Sports’ studio – they’d much rather have him on the pitch, even now, instead of the Iberian incumbent…
https://twitter.com/TheChelseaCunt/status/810115295067176960
Wonder if Ashley Cole is still better than Alonso hm
— Free Palestine (@CherishingChams) December 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/VintageHazard_/status/810095252581261312
Good to see Ashley Cole, only if he could replace Alonso
— Y.O. (@yojora) December 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/ZoumaIdini/status/810086840741064704
https://twitter.com/markystew/status/810115772118945792
https://twitter.com/Luizesque/status/810110359839395840