LA Galaxy newcomer Ashley Cole hopes to prove haters wrong in MLS

LA Galaxy newcomer Ashley Cole has some work to do if he wants to earn the favor of the league's supporters after lambasting Major League Soccer two years ago.

The Galaxy's latest star signing said he was not "ready to relax on a beach yet" when linked with a move to MLS in 2014. Back then, Cole was making a move to AS Roma.

Now contracted with the league and playing at LA Galaxy, Cole is singing a decidedly different tune.

"Hopefully, the LA fans will warm up to me," Cole told the club's official website. "I know that it won't be easy at the start, of course, but if I can just prove to them that I'm not here for a holiday, I'm here to work. I'm here to win things."

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Cole will need to perform if he wants to win over the club's faithful, as he's taking on a left full-back role filled by Robbie Rogers, a fan favourite. He's already taking pointers from his Premier League-hardened teammates Steven Gerrard and Robbie Keane.

"I've spoken to (Galaxy manager) Bruce Arena and he told me that league is hectic, that it's a tough league and a demanding league," Cole said. "Robbie and Stevie told me the same. They told me that you have to be 100 percent honest when it comes to fitness and physicality, but hopefully I can transition quicker than I did at Roma."

In the Italian capital, Cole began his decline, and a move to the Galaxy is ultimately a swan song for the England international. For a player who was a champion through and through with Arsenal and Chelsea, this adventure is a chance to end his career on a high note.

"I know that I'm 35, I'm not 21 anymore, so I have to understand that my body is not how it was years ago," Cole admitted. "I stay fit as much I can. I train as hard as I can, and I hope that I can bring trophies to the team. ... I've always wanted to prove to people that I can play."

He added, "I know that I have a lot to prove. I know that people have doubts about me because of my age and because I haven't played in a long time. It's a motivation and it drives me to prove people wrong, and to remind myself that I can still play at a top level."