Tomorrow marks Joe Cole's 28th birthday, but he insists his pre-match rituals will be no different to usual.

A typically sociable character, the versatile playmaker admits he grows bored with the monotony of matchdays, and the added attraction of a few presents to open will make him no less impatient to get to Stamford Bridge.

'I just do a lot of sleeping and eating,' he shrugged. 'Matchdays are a nightmare for me to be honest. If I could I would stay at home, I find the day boring just sitting in my hotel room and relaxing, so I would prefer to just turn up and play.

'I try to concentrate on relaxing before a game, and I do that best with company, but obviously everyone is different.'

This birthday is often seen as a landmark in footballer terms, as Cole enters the years in which most people are expected to be at the peak of their powers.

'Who knows?' he responded, when the idea was put to him. 'I keep training, and with the setbacks I've had I am more professional so now I can only see positive things ahead.

'I cannot see myself getting injured like that again, my body is as strong as it's ever been, and I'm looking at the next 10 years of my career, as I see it I'm fit as a fiddle and want to play on forever.

'I am one of the more experienced ones here now, I've played a lot of football in different positions and I want to use that to help Chelsea, so I'll just keep going, keep playing and enjoying my football, the age thing makes no difference. I'm enjoying it at the moment and it's great to be back.'

Before tomorrow's clash is another heavyweight battle Cole will be keeping an eye on, as boxing Brit David Haye takes on Nikolai Valuev in Nuremburg for the WBA world title.

Haye, who visited Stamford Bridge last season, has Cole's backing.

'Hopefully David can win and I think he can win,' said the ex-West Ham man. 'I've met him a couple of times and he seems like a nice guy. Boxers have to promote themselves and he does that very well.

'He has to be in and out, but Valuev is good, he's better than people expect. He has a decent jab, has only been beaten once and can grind you down. He can go 12 rounds, but not at David Haye's pace, so if he can force it he could win, but I'm a footballer talking, so who knows?'