Cole: Age is just a number

Ashley Cole insists there are "no egos" at Chelsea and the senior players will quickly adapt to life under new manager Andre Villas-Boas. At just 33, the Portuguese coach will be the youngest boss in the Premier League next season, having been appointed successor to experienced Italian Carlo Ancelotti. It has been suggested the former Porto manager, who guided os Dragões to domestic and UEFA Europa League success last season, will find it difficult to command respect among the older squad members. However, England defender Cole, 30, feels Villas-Boas - no stranger to many players from his time at Stamford Bridge as a part of Jose Mourinho's backroom staff - will soon settle into his new role. "Age is just a number, he has experience of being at Porto, a big club," Cole said in an interview with Sky Sports News. "Hopefully he can bring that glory to Chelsea, but I don't think the age thing is anything to worry about, I don't think the players think about that. He is our manager now and we have to go out and fight for him. "Whatever manager comes in we respect him, we are not kids, everyone thinks there are egos at Chelsea, but there aren't and we have to make Chelsea the squad of a few years ago and win trophies." Chelsea players will return to the Cobham training ground for the start of pre-season training this week, with Villas-Boas maintaining there would be no immediate transfers or new arrivals until he had time to fully assess the current group, with a tour to the Far East ahead of the Asia Trophy coming up. By the time the new Premier League campaign kicks off at Stoke, there are likely to be a couple of new faces and Cole feels that can only help Chelsea's ambitions on all fronts.