Joseph Rooks, known as Joe Cole, is a former English football player with a notable career and personal life.
Joseph Rooks, commonly referred to as Joe Cole, came into this world on November 8, 1981, in Paddington, a part of London. When he was merely six years old, his family relocated to Somers Town. Cole's early education took place at St. Mary's Bryanston Square primary school, followed by Haverstock School in London and St. Aloysius College in Highgate. Cole embarked on his football career within the West Ham United youth system and eventually turned pro with the club in November 1998. His first appearance in the first team occurred in the FA Cup in January 1999, when he was just 17 years old. Joe made his Premier League debut a mere eight days later. In 1999, West Ham achieved success by winning the FA Youth Cup and the UEFA Intertoto Cup. In 2003, Cole earned the prestigious Hammer of the Year Award, and in August of the same year, he signed with Chelsea for £6.6 million. Chelsea then went on to win the Premier League title for the 2004–05 season, and Joe managed to score 10 goals that season. He became an integral part of the first-team lineup during the 2005–06 season, and he was subsequently chosen for the PFA Team of the Year. In late 2006, Cole suffered a stress fracture on his foot, requiring surgery, which left him sidelined for part of the 2006–07 season. In 2008, he played a crucial role in the UEFA Champions League Final and was awarded Chelsea Player of the Year. He underwent knee surgery during the 2008–09 season and was forced to miss the 2009–10 pre-season. Joe made a successful return to the starting line-up in a September 2009 League Cup match. He achieved a significant milestone by playing in his 250th game for Chelsea on November 8, 2009, which coincided with his 28th birthday. Chelsea ultimately won the FA Cup Final in 2010, and Cole became a free agent after his contract expired in June 2010. In July 2010, Joe signed a four-year deal with Liverpool. In August 2011, he was loaned to the French club Lille for the entire season, and although manager Rudi Garcia expressed interest in retaining Cole after the season concluded, Joe returned to Liverpool. He parted ways with Liverpool in January 2013 before his contract was up and returned to his original club, West Ham, on an 18-month deal. Cole suffered a hamstring injury in September 2013, which kept him sidelined for six weeks. He signed a two-year deal with Aston Villa in June 2014, followed by a 35-day emergency loan deal with Coventry City in October 2015. The loan was extended until early 2016, and Joe then signed a deal that lasted until the end of the season. In May 2016, he joined the North American Soccer League team the Tampa Bay Rowdies, signing a contract that would last until the end of the 2017 NASL season. Later that month, he was named the league's Player of the Week after a win over Minnesota United. In October, Cole earned a nomination for the NASL Golden Ball award. In June 2018, he took on the role of assistant coach for the team, and in November, he retired from football. He later began coaching for Chelsea. Joe also had the opportunity to represent the England national football team, starting at the U16 level in 1997. He played in the World Cup in 2002, 2006, and 2010. Joe began a romantic relationship with Carly Zucker, a fitness instructor, in 2002, and they became engaged in 2007. The couple tied the knot on June 20, 2009, and they welcomed daughter Ruby (born 2010) and son Harrison (born 2012) into their family. In 2009, Cole was handed a suspended driving ban and ordered to pay a £750 fine after he was caught driving 105 mph on a 70 mph section of a divided highway in Surrey. Cole received several accolades throughout his career, including the West Ham United Hammer of the Year for the 2002–03 season, Premier League Player of the Month in March 2005, PFA Team of the Year for the 2005–06 Premier League season, and Chelsea Player of the Year in 2008. He was also nominated for the Ballon d'Or in 2006. In 2016, Joe was selected for the North American Soccer League Best XI. In 2021, Cole put his Merseyside mansion up for sale for £2.25million. The property boasts five bedrooms, five bathrooms, an open-plan kitchen, and a heated pool.