The striker has been told to toughen up, be selfish and throw his weight around Premier League penalty boxes a bit more.

The advice partly came in a telephone call from England manager Fabio Capello to Cole's West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola.

Cole, who could start for the first time for West Ham in more than two months on Sunday against Middlesbrough following his return from a groin injury, said: "As a person I'm too nice of a guy, not really a selfish guy and that's how I was on the pitch as well. Now I've got to be a bit more selfish on the pitch. Try to be more of a nutter.

"I have to try to be aggressive at the right times and channel aggression in the right places."

Capello names his squad for next month's World Cup matches against Kazakhstan and Andorra on Sunday although Cole realises they could have come too soon for him following his lay-off after suffering a serious groin injury against Slovakia.

But he knows he is firmly on the radar of Capello, who favours playing with a big striker as a foil for the likes of Wayne Rooney.

And Zola has been working with him in training on some of the advice which Capello provided down the telephone.

Cole said: "He's (Capello) told me to work on some stuff because he sees me as a great threat in the box. Outmuscling defenders, using my physical presence and being clever as well with it. Hopefully I can keep on the right track.

"Fabio telephoned Franco (Zola) and Franco knows what I need to do so we keep on working in that in training.

"I was chuffed that Fabio showed an interest in me and thought I could improve. When you get to that level you're supposed to be a finished article but I'm far from that.

"I'm trying to progress and be as good as I can be. If he didn't think I could progress he wouldn't be telling Franco for me to work on certain stuff.

"He wants me to have quick feet in the box and shoot quicker instead of dwelling on it."

Not surprisingly, Capello's interest has boosted Cole's confidence, but the man who came through the Chelsea youth ranks knows continuing to score goals for West Ham is his top priority.

Cole said: "I feel I have to prove myself every game with some of the international players I'm competing with.

"Hopefully I'm involved (with England) this time around but if I'm not I'll understand because I have not played the games.

"All the other players have probably had a good season behind them with no injuries and probably got a couple of goals while I was unfit.

"Only two days ago somebody said 'You'll be going away with England'. I said 'Not really, I'm not expecting that'. I want to get back starting a game for West Ham."

Cole's swift rehabilitation could be bad news for relegation-threatened Middlesbrough, who need to win and hope a five goals swing in goal difference goes their way if they are to avoid the drop into the Championship.

For West Ham there is the chance of finishing eighth, which would see them miss out on Europe by just one place, but Cole added: "This is an important game to end the season on a high."