Italy made me a manager when England 'discouraged' me - Cole
Cole takes 'leap of faith' with Cesena
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Published
Ashley Cole earned 107 England caps—seventh all-time—but found himself shut out when he tried to break through as a head coach in his home country.
Now leading Italian second-tier side Cesena, Cole seized the first genuine opportunity that came his way after years spent assisting other managers and building his coaching credentials.
Cole completed his coaching badges at Derby County under Frank Lampard, then worked in Chelsea's academy before assisting at Everton, Birmingham City under Wayne Rooney, and with England's national setup under Lee Carsley. Nearly seven years of coaching experience—yet no head coach role materialized in England.
That drought pushed him back to Italy, where he played for Roma late in his career, to finally take charge at Cesena.
"I was getting discouraged by the lack of opportunities from clubs in England," Cole told BBC Sport.
"They'd say, 'You don't have experience.' I get it—but how am I supposed to get experience?
"That's the catch-22 when you're an assistant for six or seven years. You have to take a leap of faith, but a club has to take one too.
"I don't think there are many Black English coaches working in Italy, so this is a massive leap of faith from them. I'm proud to be here.
"It's a great place to start. I'm glad I'm back. We're going to do something different—something special."
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Euro Leagues: UCL Semis set & Ashley Cole on coaching
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Cole appointed manager of Serie B side Cesena
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Published15 March
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Piadinas, a legendary former referee and speaking Italian
At training, Cole is all business—speaking mostly English but peppering in Italian phrases.
One local staff member noted his willingness to tidy up equipment, unusual for someone with such a decorated playing career.
To Cole, a former schoolboy from east London, that's just normal. Even his new title—'Mister,' the Italian term for all managers—still feels strange.
"I don't see myself above anyone at this club," he said. "Of course I have to lead the group, but I'll pick up a cone."
Cole had some sense of what he was walking into in Emilia-Romagna—Italy's 'food valley,' famous for parmigiano reggiano, balsamic vinegar from Modena, and prosciutto di Parma. His wife Sharon Canu has been an important guide.
"I certainly didn't go looking for an Italian wife when I joined Roma in 2014, but I came back with one," he joked.
"Sharon's been great. She's from Rome, but she understands that people in smaller cities really love their local club. I have to embrace that."
One example: Cole's routine of buying a five-euro piadina—an Italian flatbread sandwich—from a stall outside Cesena's stadium before media conferences. The stand also regularly feeds the squad after home matches.
In this working-class town of fewer than 100,000 people, Cole's side are underdogs in Serie B—something he relates to.
"I liked that the owners have a similar background to me—hard work, graft, underdogs nobody believed in—but they created a really successful business," he said.
"They also wanted someone to believe in them and give them a chance."
Cesena, like most Italian clubs, rent their stadium and training facilities from the local authority, but Cole has innovated where he can.
He created a video analysis room and uses a high-angle tactical camera to film sessions, which he watches back in full every day.
"I arrived knowing change was necessary," Cole explained. "Our away form had been dismal for too long - something had to shift. The approach wasn't working.
"After going winless for several matches, it was clear we needed a different direction. Training and match intensity had to increase. Our style of play required evolution.
"We needed greater tactical flexibility to handle different opponents, and we had to establish better control through possession."
During his inaugural press conference, Cole pointed to Italy's absence from three consecutive World Cups as evidence the nation must embrace tactical innovation - changes he's implementing ahead of Saturday's fixture at Palermo.
Calls with Thierry Henry and the future
"Frank Lampard was exceptional - he was further along than I was after hanging up his boots," Cole acknowledged.
"People draw comparisons with Frank and wonder why I didn't walk straight into a job. The answer is simple: I wasn't ready. I needed to lay the groundwork and ensure I was properly prepared for this opportunity."
Cole's preparation for management has been deliberate. He maintains regular contact with Thierry Henry, co-owner of Serie A high-flyers Como.
Unlike Como, Cesena operate with more modest resources despite their American ownership, focusing instead on developing young talent.
"The immediate goal is securing a playoff position, with Serie A promotion as the long-term objective," Cole said. "But if we reached Serie A this season, we wouldn't be ready. We need to push ourselves and maintain belief, developing a more sophisticated playing style - though that won't happen overnight."
At Cole's former club Chelsea, Liam Rosenior - the first Black British manager at a 'big six' club - has been called a trailblazer, but Cole resists that label for himself.
"There's an obvious disparity: many former Black players, but far fewer Black coaches. Are they obtaining their coaching badges? Yes. Are they applying for positions? Yes," Cole said.
"Those are facts. If that's the reality, then clearly there's a problem. But I can't speak to situations I don't have direct knowledge of."
For now, Cole's focus remains on justifying Cesena's faith rather than viewing the role as a stepping stone to England.
"I won't be a Jose Mourinho - I don't command that stature or respect because I haven't won anything. Carlo Ancelotti is composed and successful as both player and manager - I can't replicate that. I can't be Rafa Benitez.
"I need to absorb elements from them, remain authentic to myself, trust my process, and concentrate on Cesena. I want to build something here and hopefully, eventually, lift a trophy."