Joe Cole is well respected in France © Getty Images Enlarge

Joe Cole is hoping Liverpool's new manager will be open to the idea of building a team around him, insisting a central midfield role is his "best position".

Cole breathed life into his career over the past 10 months, enjoying an impressive loan spell with French side Lille. Employed in a playmaker role, Cole helped the Ligue 1 side to third in the table, which was considered a success after a summer that saw them lose a number of key names.

The England international now returns to Liverpool where, currently, he plans to play his football next season. Having struggled under Roy Hodgson and been loaned out by Kenny Dalglish, Cole is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the news Reds boss.

Liverpool are interviewing a number of names, with Roberto Martinez, Andre Villas-Boas and Fabio Capello all reportedly in the frame, and Cole hopes the eventual successor to Dalglish will be open to making him the focal point of a new-look Liverpool attack.

"I haven't had any conversations with Liverpool, but as it stands I'm back there for pre-season," Cole said. "When you don't know who the manager is going to be you cannot do much else really. I'm hoping to make it at Liverpool.

"My time at Lille has been extremely positive. I've moved back from the wing into a more central midfield role and I have thrived there. It's my best position, I was doing it at 19 for West Ham.

"The days of me running down the wing are over, I see my future in the middle now. It's where I can get my foot on the ball and get the best out of myself.

"Once a new manager is appointed then we'll see how it goes with him."

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