Sunderland in firing line as Cole sees Light at end of tunnel

CARLTON COLE is determined capitalise on Didier Drogba’s absence and prove Jose Mourinho was right not to send him out on loan for a third successive season when Chelsea’s take on Sunderland in the Premiership at the Stadium of Light tomorrow.

The England U21 striker could get his second start of the season with Drogba on African Nations Cup duty with the Ivory Coast and Hernan Crespo struggling to overcome a hamstring problem.

After season-long loan spells with Aston Villa and Charlton, Mourinho decided Cole would stand a better chance of improving if he remained at Stamford Bridge and fought for a place in his first team.

Cole celebrated his first-team comeback with the opening goal in Chelsea’s 2-1 FA Cup third-round victory over League One minnows Huddersfield last Saturday and believes he must seize the chance to shine during Drogba’s expected three-week absence.

“It’s a great opportunity for me,” said Cole. “It’s what I’ve been waiting for over the last three years and I must take it. It’s very important for me to get some games under my belt and progress from the Huddersfield game. I can only see it getting better for me.

“I want to get back to when I was scoring a lot of goals. I went on loan to various clubs but didn’t do as well as I thought I should. But now the manager sees my potential and I just want to build on that faith.”

Cole is hoping he can emulate the example set by skipper John Terry and make it through the ranks to become a fixture in the first team. The striker won the golden boot at Chelsea three seasons ago for scoring a combined total of 38 goals in the youth, reserves and first team and insists that, despite the club’s big-spending reputation, youngsters can succeed at Stamford Bridge.

“If you are good enough, the manager is always going to take a look at you,” said Cole. “We’ve got some good young talent coming through and there’s always hope.”

Cole admits he is continually asked about his chances of earning a place in Sven-Goran Eriksson’s England squad for the World Cup finals in Germany this summer but insists his first priority is to establish himself in the Chelsea side.

“I have done quite well for the U-21s and scored goals - some of them important ones,” he said. “But that’s all behind me now - I’m looking forward to trying to get as many goals as I can under Jose Mourinho.

“I’m not thinking about the World Cup right now although I do get asked about it a lot. If I could score goals then that’s going to make an impact on my international career hopefully.

“But I just want to get the first part out of the way and then think about the World Cup if it comes for me.”

Meanwhile, Tottenham may be forced to attempt a loan deal for left-back Wayne Bridge instead of a permanent deal because of Chelsea’s £7m valuation.

Chelsea are determined to recoup what they paid Southampton for the defender two-and-a-half years ago, and Spurs could take the England international on loan for him to prove his fitness.

Gary Breen and Steve Caldwell return for Sunderland. Both were suspended for last week’s FA Cup win over non-league Northwich Victoria when Alan Stubbs and Neill Collins deputised.

Christian Bassila is in contention to return to midfield after recovering from a hamstring injury but striker Kevin Kyle, who made a successful comeback for the reserves in midweek after 18 months out with a hip injury, is still a couple of weeks away from being considered for first team action.