Andy Cole: 'Life is not to be taken for granted'

Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole has called for academies to do more to produce strikers.

Having scored 187 goals in the Premier League, Cole knows what it takes to succeed in that role.

However, with many clubs – including his former side, Manchester United – in the hunt for a striker, it is clear there are not as many top forwards in modern-day football.

Cole says he doesn't see any player like him in the game today and believes there is no better feeling than scoring a goal.

“If you look at the academies, I don’t think centre-forwards are coming through now.

Kids want to play as number 10s now. For me, there is nothing better than watching a number nine run into the box and get a tap-in from five yards.

If you put it in the top bins, it’s still only a goal. That is my thought process.

In the next generation, you’ll see the number nine coming back – kids who want to run into the box and get tap-ins instead of hanging around the edge of the area trying to put one in the top bins.

A goal is a goal, and you celebrate the same way.”

Cole says Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is the only true number nine in the Premier League but hopes to see more emerge in the coming years.

“There are no number nines. In the Premier League, there’s one club with a number nine – that’s Manchester City.

If Liverpool go on to win the league, you look at Salah – 29 league goals this season, phenomenal – but he plays all across the front. Special player.

I’m hoping the lack of number nines is cyclical. You might see, in a few years, people going back to playing two up front. You don’t know.

It’s like, at the moment, flares are coming back in – in a few years’ time, it’ll be skinny jeans again. Football’s the same.”

Cole was