Scott probably made wrong choices. I’m certain he’d agree. But he has so much ability .. and cream always rises to the top

When it comes to raw talent there can be few better judges than Joe Cole.

As a schoolboy, his natural craft and technique made him the most soughtafter kid in Europe.

And as a teenager at West Ham, with a friendly and cheerful streak that belied his years, he was often compared to his idol Paul Gascoigne.

Cole was the most skilful player of his generation in England.

A trio of Premier League title wins and three FA Cups ensured his ability didn’t go to waste.

Whether or not he goes on to become a coach in later life, one thing is for sure – he knows a player.

And when a scrawny winger from Bristol Rovers turned up at Chelsea’s training ground in 2005 and mixed it with the world’s best, Cole’s eyes lit up. Scott Sinclair could play all right. His new Blues team-mate wasn’t the only one bowled over. A certain Jose Mourinho was also suitably impressed.

At that point Cole expected the new boy to go on to become a regular for club and country.

The problem for Sinclair was he didn’t just have the England international ahead of him. The likes of Damien Duff and Arjen Robben were also in Mourinho’s pecking order.

For any young footballer it’s then about choices. What do you do? Where do you go? Who do you sign for?

Cole had been in that position himself after exploding on to the scene at Upton Park.

And that’s where he believes Sinclair may have got it wrong. His megabucks move to Manchester City in 2012 was more fruitful from a financial point of view than a football one.

So when Cole now sits in front of a TV screen in America to watch his pal rip it up at Celtic, he’s delighted to see him do what he does best.

He feels Sinclair has found a mentor in Brendan Rodgers and finally the stage he deserves at Parkhead.

In an exclusive interview with MailSport, Cole said: “Scott arrived at Chelsea with a lot of promise.

“He was brilliant in our pre-season and I remember Mourinho really liked him. He actually showed a bit of faith in Scott – he played a few games that summer in 2005.

“You could see his talent from the off. Scott has goals in him, which is a vital ingredient for any player nowadays.

“At that point, everyone at Chelsea knew he’d go on to have an excellent career in the game.

“Unfortunately for Scott, he just stalled a bit. Some managers didn’t have enough trust in him. The Swansea move was great for him but the Manchester City one didn’t work out.

“Maybe he was just trying to jump up too many levels too quickly. It’s tricky for a young player.

“In your career you are forced to make massive, life- changing decisions. And for Scott, he probably made the wrong choices at times.

“I’m sure he’d say that himself. But the lad has so much ability and the cream will always rise to the top.

“Scott’s a top player. When he went to Celtic I remember saying to myself