JUST imagine a midfield of Joe Cole and Pep Guardiola.

Cole, with those razor-sharp runs and dreamy first-time passes — and Guardiola, all improvisation and tactical innovation, would have been quite some partnership.

9 In an exclusive interview with SunSport, Joe Cole remembers being told about a potential new team-mate Credit: Jamie McPhilimey - The Sun

It very, very, nearly happened. Cole was a young player at West Ham when Glenn Roeder called him into the manager’s office at their old Chadwell Heath training centre in 2001.

The former England midfielder revealed: “Glenn said, ‘We can sign Guardiola — what do you think?’

“What do I think? We are West Ham, he is Pep Guardiola — we have to sign him, that’s what I think.”

Guardiola was leaving Barca, reluctantly walking away after winning six La Liga titles and the club’s first European Cup.

9 West Ham rejected the chance to sign Pep Guardiola in 2001 Credit: Getty Images - Getty

9 Cole was a West Ham wonderkid when Pep Guardiola almost joined the Hammers Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

West Ham, the academy of football, was ready for a bit of tiki-taka. Cole added: “Glenn obviously liked him but thought it might stifle Michael Carrick’s progress and I think he was hinting that I might suffer. I would love to have played with Pep. He has a genius football brain.”

Cole’s mind is ticking away now, in overdrive as he contemplates a career in coaching.

He is 36, promising Tampa Bay Rowdies another season Stateside in the United Soccer League before he calls time on his magnificent career.

It has been some journey.

Cole speaks with so much enthusiasm, especially about the glory years at Chelsea, when he got to play for the club he supported as a little boy.

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9 Joe Cole is playing his football in America with that same boyish smile Credit: Jamie McPhilimey - The Sun

9 The Tampa Bay Rowdies is home to the West Ham and Chelsea cult hero now Credit: AFP - Getty

He added: “Clubs have a smell about them and just warming up, with club anthem Liquidator playing, it was the same smell around the place that was there when I was a kid.

“It appealed to my romantic side. I’d love to have been there for 17 years like John Terry, or 13 years like Frank Lampard but physically they were more durable, more robust.

“I touched the top of the mountain in my playing career — but those two managed to stay there.”

Cole was still a sensational Chelsea player. He won three Premier League titles, three FA Cups and played in the penalty shootout defeat against Manchester United in the 2007-08 Champions League final.

Cole added: “The best period of my career was 2003-2008.

“We won two league titles in that time and I was very influential.

“I scored important goals against Manchester United and Bayern Munich — the spirit was massive.

9 Pep Guardiola and Joe Cole would have made some team Credit: AP:Associated Press

9 Joe Cole was the hottest prospect in England - compared to Gazza as a youngster Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

“Jose could not have come in at a better time.

“It was the perfect team for him at that stage of his career.

“He had 20 hungry lions desperate to win things. It was the easiest team to manage.

“He did not have big egos, we all wanted to play football and we all went out together.”

Cole had been a boy-wonder, one of the most promising players in the game, when he graduated from West Ham’s academy.

He was thrown into the first team, sink or swim, alongside Michael Carrick and Lampard.

Cole added: “West Ham was ten years behind the rest of football at the time.

“I had my Faces Nightclub membership card, I met my wife there, bought her mates a round of drinks, ended up marrying her.

“That’s how it was back then. The boys went out after a game and had a couple of drinks.”

9 Joe Cole wants to pass on his experience and skill to the next generation Credit: Jamie McPhilimey - The Sun

Cole was always easy-going, one of the nicest men you could meet in football. He had time for everyone. He blended in, making friends at Chelsea, Liverpool and in the England camp during his glittering career.

Cole added: “I was never interested in how much money everyone was on.

“I have always been good in dressing rooms.

“Even with England, I was good mates with Michael Carrick as well as Rio Ferdinand — I never felt the division with the Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool thing.

9 Joe Cole is happy in the US but is targeting a coaching career Credit: Jamie McPhilimey - The Sun

“I used to drive people mad because I would sit in different chairs.

“Once I sat in David Beckham’s seat — but quickly got out of there.

“I loved playing for England. You have to pass on that joy to the next generation because I was brought up on Italia 90 and Euro 96.

“You go away with England, you train, you watch a bit of football, someone cooks you a nice dinner.

“I couldn’t understand anyone who didn’t want to do that.

“I didn’t find it tedious — I would be the kit man if it meant that England won a World Cup.”

Really, though, Cole wants to be the coach.

He is deep into his Uefa A Licence, studying the very best at work before he dips his toe in the water with his first job.

It will happen because the game cannot afford to let a guy like this slip away.

Cole added: “English football reverts to type.

“I cannot tell you the amount of times I would be encouraged to play, to do this, to do that, then I would go in at half-time and the manager would be going spare.

“That is why I love Guardiola — he sticks to his principles.

“To understand him I think you have to watch him, to be around him, to spend time with him and listen to him.”

Now that really would be some partnership.