Ashley Cole has recalled his first years with Chelsea.
The former fullback has been inducted into the Premier League's Hall of Fame.
He said, "I turned up and understood from minute one that the manager (Jose Mourinho) only wanted to win and that was music to my ears. The way we trained, day in day out, the expectation was to train as you play, but I really mean that the tackles used to fly.
"I knew the standards and levels were high and that's what I wanted, to try to win more silverware. I knew with these players around me and that mindset and mentality, it was only going to go one way, because the drive and the competitive nature of that group of players was amazing.
"After my first day I understood, again, that it's a tough league but with these players around me ready to fight and battle and give everything, we had more than a chance to do it."
Cole also said: "It probably took me three years too many to win my first Premier League title with Chelsea.
"I was lucky to be in a dressing room that had some big characters and personalities in there. A goal from our big-game player Didier Drogba won us the 2007 FA Cup, but I understood that this group of players would continue to win because that was the mentality.
"For me personally, I felt that of all my years playing in the Premier League, the 2009/10 season was the best year I played. Physically, I felt the best I've ever felt. I felt very confident going into every game, I felt I was one of the best left-backs going forward, it was my most goal contributions and I felt I could defend."
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