It's true, internal strife has left Chelsea reeling, admits Cole

Ashley Cole yesterday acknowledged the truth of his team-mate Didier Drogba's claim that disagreements behind the scenes at Chelsea had spilt over into the dressing room during the team's recent poor run of results.

Although the former Arsenal defender was clearly uneasy about addressing the subject at a press conference before Chelsea's home FA Cup fourth round tie against Nottingham Forest tomorrow, he admitted that Drogba had a point earlier this week when he criticised the "tensions" behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge, where the manager, Jose Mourinho, seems increasingly at odds with the club's owner, Roman Abramovich.

"To some degree it's true," Cole said. "We don't know what has gone on and as players we are trying to stay away from all that and let other people deal with it. We just want everything to go away and just to keep on trying to win the Premiership. But the results haven't gone too well of late and maybe it is down to that. On Sunday we have a chance to change that and start winning games. It's not actually affecting me. But maybe as a whole Didier thinks the results aren't going well and it could be down to that.

"It's not down to me, it's down to other people to sort it out. I am here to play football and, whatever else is going on behind the scenes, I don't think there is anything that I can do to change it.

"We have gone through a bad set of results and we need to change it on the field. But we need to stop talking about other things, it's going to take our minds off trying to win games."

With a press minder hovering anxiously at his shoulder, Cole was clearly uneasy about being questioned over the vexed topic. He was far happier discussing the importance to the team of the captain, John Terry, who took an active part in training yesterday as he recovers from a back operation, raising hopes that he might make a return to action against Forest.

"Everyone knows how much we've missed him recently," Cole said. "He's a great leader. Maybe we've dropped some points because he wasn't playing. "

Cole was confident that Terry would soon accept the long-term contract, rumoured to be worth as much as £150,000 a week, on offer to him at Chelsea. "I wouldn't be surprised if in the next few weeks or days he signed," he said.

The full-back added that Mourinho's standing and success had been a key factor in his decision to move from Arsenal to Chelsea last year. "He was the main reason I'm here," Cole said. "He's a great manager, a great guy."

Asked, however, if he thought any of the players were likely to plead Mourinho's case to Abramovich, Cole responded with alacrity.

"Not me," he said. It was probably just as well the question had not been put to him while he was driving. Cole seemed happier with the idea of someone like Terry making represent- ations. "Maybe," he added. "We definitely want the manager to stay and we all hope he does."

Drogba vented his spleen again last night, this time lambasting strike partner Andrei Shevchenko for apparent "selfishness". Drogba said: "On Shevchenko's side, I don't really sense the desire to collaborate. I think that as a big signing he believes he is obliged to justify his transfer fee with goals at any cost. I love to share but when I give, I appreciate it when I get something back. That's what happened with Hernan Crespo but let's say it is a little different this season.

"That is a real pity because everyone would have something to gain if we really worked together."