Hammers hit-man desperate to prove

Former Chelsea striker Carlton Cole has revealed his eagerness to prove his qualities at Premiership level now that he has been given a chance by Alan Pardew at West Ham.

Cole admitted that junior players at Chelsea were not given the chance they deserved and that he was eager to leave the club last summer but was persuaded to stay by Jose Mourinho.

Cole said: "It has been like that for years now,"

"Only Jody Morris, John Terry and myself have come through the youth system as home grown English players. Robert Huth also came through and it was only us four who have gone on to make first team appearances.

"John Terry is the exception, he is the main man now, but there weren't a lot of young players coming through Chelsea, though I think they are starting to invest in the youth academy now.

"I wanted to leave last summer. Jose Mourinho persuaded me to stay but I wanted to play more often.

"I wasn't even in the squad half the time so it was hard for me to take. There might be a few players at Chelsea this season doing the same shift I was doing.

"I didn't really want to be involved in that again and Jose said he understood where I was coming from, which is why I got in touch with West Ham and West Ham took me.

"It is disappointing I didn't make many appearances for Chelsea but I have to look to the future now."

"I am keen to fight for my place in the side [At West Ham]. I have done that at Chelsea, I am used to the competition. The boys here will put in a good fight and it will only up my game,"

"I have a point to prove. I have not played enough to score a bag of goals.

"Chelsea explained that loans don't work for me and they know what I'm capable of so in my own best interests they would let me go to West Ham so I could settle down and develop.

"I knew a few of the West Ham players before I came here and the manager and all the staff have helped me settle in really well.

"It is a different atmosphere here than at Chelsea. There are more English players and the banter will always be unbelievable when you have a bunch of English boys together.

"At Chelsea, where you have lots of people coming from different parts of the world, it was a bit more conservative. Here it is easier to gel and get involved."