Ashley Cole plays down LA Galaxy 'beach' claim
Last updated on .From the section Football
Former England and Chelsea defender Ashley Cole has said he will have to convince critics he has not joined LA Galaxy for an easy life.
The 35-year-old turned down offers to join MLS clubs in 2014 and instead signed for Roma, saying he was "not ready to relax on a beach yet".
Cole, who joined Galaxy last week, said: "I hold my hands up, it was said, but it was taken out of context.
"I have to deal with it and hope I can change the views of me coming here."
Cole, capped 107 times by England, won three Premier League titles - two with Arsenal and one with Chelsea - and left the Blues to join Roma after the 2013-14 season.
But he played just 16 times for the Serie A side before having his two-year deal cut short to join former Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard and ex-Tottenham striker Robbie Keane in Los Angeles.
"I did find it, of course, difficult the last two years, not playing as much as I hoped and wanted to," he said.
"Now it's a new challenge, a new venture for me. I've always been born to play hard and win things and I don't come here any different.
"That's in my mindset, to come here and to win trophies."
