EPL legend Ashley Cole opens up on transition between Arsenal and Chelsea

Former EPL left-back Ashley Cole is regarded as one of the premier defenders to have graced the league. The all-conquering Englishman has had a stellar career at both club and country level and is one of the only two players to do the domestic double with two clubs — Arsenal and Chelsea. The only other player to do so was Nicolas Anelka.

Cole, a former Arsenal youth product spent seven years with his boyhood club before making a switch to their EPL rivals Chelsea in 2006. This remains one of the most prolonged transfer sagas as moves between such fierce rivals weren't as easy at the time. Arsenal fined Cole for allegedly making contact with the Blues in a meeting with José Mourinho and his agent Jonathan Barnett.

This saga ultimately concluded with him moving between EPL rivals from the same city with Frenchman William Gallas going the other way.

One of the EPL's most heated transfer sagas

In an interview with BBC's Gary Lineker, Cole was quizzed on his move from the Gunners to the Blues and how the transition was. Speaking to the former EPL striker, Cole said,

"The transition in terms of being in a different group, environment, and players was easy. Because at the time that I first started at Arsenal, I've always mentioned them to be the core of the side — the (David) Seamans, the (Martin) Keowns, the (Patrick) Vieiras, the (Thierry) Henrys, the (Tony) Adams — when they began to leave, I personally felt there were holes in the squad."

Cole spoke about the the winning mentality and how it was falling apart at Arsenal — which is one of the reasons he left for Chelsea.

"The coach, the demands in training, I just felt that it was all falling apart, and there were gaps which weren't filled. So that transition in terms of finding myself under a different coach and the willingness and want to win, I went to Chelsea, and I had that."

Lineker then asked the former EPL full-back if he would handle his move differently in hindsight. Responding to the English legend, Cole said that although he realizes he could've handled things in a better manner, he doesn't regret anything he did.

"When you look back, obviously there were mistakes on both sides. It wasn't entirely my fault, but it wasn't entirely their (Arsenal) fault either. I was probably a bit too stubborn at the time, felt a little bit hard done by, a little baby-ish to be honest."

The EPL legend added,

"But, it's something I would never regret, and I wouldn't change anything about the situation. It definitely wasn't what people think — about money — it's crazy, but that was probably the last thing on my mind."

In total, Cole won four EPL titles and held the record for the most number of FA Cups won by an EPL player (seven times). The Chelsea legend went on to win the UEFA Champions League with the Blues in 2012 and played a crucial role in helping them win it. He was phenomenal against Barcelona in the semi-finals and had a goal-line clearance to save his side. The EPL icon also scored in the shootout in the final.