Ex-Arsenal & Chelsea star Ashley Cole lined up for shock first managerial role with second tier club

In a development that has caught the football world by surprise, England legend Cole is closing in on becoming the manager of Serie B side Cesena, according to talkSPORT. The 45-year-old, widely regarded as one of the finest left-backs of his generation, is understood to be the primary target for the Italian club as they seek to ignite their promotion ambitions.

If the deal is finalised, it would mark Cole's first senior managerial role since hanging up his boots in 2019. Cesena currently sit eighth in the Italian second tier, and following the dismissal of Michele Mignani on Saturday afternoon, the hierarchy has identified the former Premier League champion as the man to guide them through a high-stakes play-off battle.

While this would be his first stint as a number one, Cole is no stranger to the dugout. He has spent the last several years building an impressive resume, often working alongside former team-mates. He held coaching roles at Chelsea and Everton alongside Lampard, and served as part of Rooney's backroom staff during his tenure at Birmingham.

His work with the national setup has been equally distinguished. Cole was a key component of Lee Carsley’s staff, helping the England Under-21s to European Championship glory in both 2023 and 2025. Following his success with the youth teams, he was appointed as a full-time national coach by the FA in 2024, momentarily stepping up to the senior team during Carsley’s interim period at the helm.

Speaking on The Overlap in December, Cole made no secret of his desire to make the jump into management. "I definitely want to give it a go [being a manager]. It’s quite hard when you’re a number two to be measured if I’m good or not. You only know by people and what they think of you. I worked with Wayne at Birmingham, I don’t know what he thinks of me as a coach. Am I good or am I bad? I can only get that through feedback, so it’s quite hard to know if I’m half decent or not," he admitted.

"I’m definitely feeling I’m nearly ready and I’m getting there. I am different. I don’t speak as well as certain managers. I have to find my way in the game. I have to find my own personality. Be authentic. As a player, maybe I didn’t lead in the dressing room, but going back to the start of my journey as a coach I’ve found a way to lead, push people, and bring people on a journey with me," Cole added.

The task at Cesena will not be for the faint-hearted. While the club occupies a play-off spot, they are currently 17 points adrift of Palermo in fourth place. With Venezia and Monza setting the pace at the top of Serie B, Cole would likely have to navigate the treacherous preliminary rounds of the play-offs to secure a return to the top flight for the Seahorses.

However, Cole will be well-equipped with the lessons learned from the greats. He has previously credited his tactical discipline to Jose Mourinho, while noting that Carlo Ancelotti taught him the importance of the human side of the game. Now, the man with 107 England caps looks ready to apply those lessons in the pressure cooker of Italian football as he seeks to emulate the managerial success of his peers.

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