Former England international Ashley Cole says a lack of opportunities in England pushed him to accept his first senior head coach role in Italy.
Cole, who earned 107 caps for England national football team, has taken charge of Serie B side Cesena after building nearly seven years of coaching experience across different roles.
Before becoming a head coach, Cole worked under several managers while completing his coaching badges at Derby County with Frank Lampard. He later gained experience at Chelsea’s academy, and held assistant roles at Everton, Birmingham City under Wayne Rooney, and within the England setup under Lee Carsley.
Despite this experience, Cole says he struggled to secure a head coach position in England. He described feeling discouraged by clubs that questioned his lack of senior managerial experience, despite years of coaching work behind the scenes.
He explained that many clubs gave the same response, stating he needed more experience before taking a top job. Cole, however, pointed out the difficulty of gaining that experience without being given an opportunity in the first place.
That challenge eventually led him to Italy, where he previously played for AS Roma later in his playing career.
Cole said the move represents a major opportunity and described it as a “leap of faith” from both sides. He also noted that there are few Black English coaches working in Italy, making the appointment even more significant.
Now settled at Cesena, Cole says he is focused on building something meaningful at the club. He has embraced the role fully and is adapting to the Italian football culture, including learning new language and coaching routines.
