Coventry City manager Tony Mowbray has said that if there were any doubts about the character of Joe Cole, then he would not have brought him in.
Speaking to the Coventry Telegraph's Andy Turner, Mowbray said: What’s been refreshing is how excited he is about playing, get his boots on and get out on the grass,” said the manager.
“He’s a good lad. If I didn’t like his personality, the warmness of the football man you can talk to, he probably wouldn’t have been here because the team have been doing all right.
“Joe is just a lad from the east end of London who loves to play and once he’s in the dressing room with other players that takes over.
“They don’t see a lad who’s played 50-odd times for England, he’s one of the lads.
“He’s a very grounded boy which will fit perfectly into the dressing room. And that’s important because the chemistry of the dressing room makes or breaks clubs – the senior pros have to be made of the right substance.
“If I’d have had any doubts about Joe on that score I wouldn’t have brought him in.
“I just feel that on the training ground and the pitch he will help some of those young lads we’ve got to recognise how a game unfolds – when to run, when to stand in space, how to receive a ball, when to look forward.
“A manager can preach all those things and show them on videos but to see it from a player who’s been at the level Joe has is as good an education as they’ll get.
“James Maddison is obviously injured at the moment but he’s a young player with huge potential and I’m sure he’ll benefit having Joe around the building never mind out on the pitch, and the likes of Ryan Kent, Adam Armstrong, Jacob Murphy will all benefit as well.
“ I’m hoping he can be a link for the young lads up front. They’ve got fantastic speed and mobility so we’ll be looking for him to pick the right passes to let them run and hurt teams.
“We’re just delighted he’s here. I think Villa showed the boy a huge amount of respect by allowing him to take this opportunity. They understand he wants to play and they want to help him.
“They’re just having a look how the month goes. Joe will have a look, we’ll have a look and we’ll all assess it at the end of the 35 days.
“Obviously there are financial implications that we can’t get anywhere near. We have to contribute but there’s quite a margin there.”