Cole does not expect favours from Bilic

Joe Cole is not expecting any favours from former club-mate Slaven Bilic when England take on Croatia looking for the point that will take them to Euro 2008.

Cole was just breaking into the West Ham United side when Bilic was a star performer at Upton Park.

And the Chelsea winger knows that he will want his undefeated Croatia to finish with a flourish as they bid to end their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign as Group B winners.

Cole said: "Slaven was a big player for West Ham when I was very young and he'll get his team going on Wednesday. He's a professional and there'll certainly be no favours from him.

"He'll put a side out there to win the game. Frank (Lampard) knew him more than me and played with him for a few years at West Ham.

"Slaven was well liked and well appreciated at West Ham. He was a really top player and he's proving himself as a manager as well."

Croatia beat England 2-0 in Zagreb earlier in the race to reach next summer's European Championship finals in Switzerland and Austria.

And Cole has urged his team-mates to be at the top of their game, adding: "They'll come to Wembley and maybe relax and try to knock the ball around. But it's all about us, really. We have to perform as we know we can.

"Apart from ten minutes in Russia, we've done very well for the last six months or so since the summer draw with Brazil at Wembley.

"We've found a style of play that has suited us. There's a belief there. We've performed for the last ten games and we want to keep that going."

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