Ashley Cole, the former Arsenal, Chelsea, and England left-back, has embarked on his first managerial journey with Cesena, a Serie B side chasing a playoff spot. In a candid interview, he reflects on the long path to this role, the support of his wife Sharon Canu, and his philosophy for reviving the club's fortunes.
A Long-Awaited Opportunity
It took seven years for Cole to secure his first head coach position after retiring from playing. During that time, his wife endured countless tactical discussions at the dinner table, using salt and pepper shakers to illustrate formations. "I bored her a lot," Cole admits with a smile. Now that he has his own dugout, Sharon may finally reclaim the seasoning. The couple met a decade ago while Cole played for Roma, and Italy has always been part of their plans. "We love the food and the calmness of the country," Cole says. "She told me the fans here are passionate about their team and city. I had to embrace that, understand what makes them tick, so we can represent them properly."
Ready for the Challenge
Cesena, a working-class city in Emilia-Romagna, sits ninth in Serie B and is fighting for a playoff place. It is a far cry from Cole's days winning Premier League and Champions League titles with Chelsea, but he speaks with quiet conviction. "I really appreciate the opportunity," the 45-year-old says. "While this is my first head coaching role, the body of work I've done over seven years on the grass means there is nothing more I could do to prepare. The hours, experiences, and managers I've worked under have guided me to a place where I feel ready. I am thankful to Cesena, but I have more than enough experience."
Cesena has a rich heritage, having qualified for the UEFA Cup in the 1970s and spent 13 seasons in Serie A. Cole was approached by co-owner Mike Melby to revive the club's fortunes. "The fans weren't happy with the style of play," Cole explains. "The owners wanted something different: an exciting, energetic team that plays on the front foot. They sacked the manager, and I came in to continue the project."
Early Results and Philosophy
Results have been mixed. Cole lost his first game but then secured a memorable 3-1 win against playoff rivals Catanzaro, sending the home crowd into raptures. "When I arrived, the team hadn't won in six or seven games. Confidence was low," he recalls. "If I did the same thing as the previous manager, it wouldn't work. I want this team to reflect the fans. They are humble, hard-working people who work every day to afford a ticket. We need to give them everything on the pitch to reflect that work ethic."
Asked about his football philosophy, Cole pauses before replying: "To win games. To do that, we're implementing a tactical shift. Possession-based, but attacking. Playing between the lines, playing fast. I want intensity without the ball, staying in the opposition's half, sustaining attacks. I don't want wingers defending; that's not their job. I want them on the ball in front of the goal."
Does he worry about Serie B's defensive nature? "We play against a lot of teams with low blocks, 10 players behind the ball, so you need patience," he says. "But control of the ball gives us more opportunities to attack. If you just play long, it's 50-50 in the air, the team gets stretched, and you can't press effectively."
Communication and Trust
In the dressing room, Cole operates in a mix of English and Italian. "I'm improving my Italian," he says, adding: "I'm shy." He addresses the team in Italian at times and vents frustration in English. "Some players ask me to speak English because they want to learn it," Cole notes. "Football is an easy language because you can show things with passion. We have a staff member, Nicola Capellini, who is the bridge between English and Italian, keeping the message clear."
The players call him "Mister," the traditional Italian honorific for a manager. Cole tells them they don't have to, but he respects the custom. "I want them to see I'm human and not a monster," he says. "Building that connection in a short time has created real trust. The players have to trust what I'm asking them to do."
Coaching Philosophy
Cole is emphatic that he will not coach anyone to be a replica of himself. "Never. I don't coach a left-back to play exactly how I played because we are different," he insists. "We have different physical and mental attributes. I might give pointers, but I don't expect a player like Gianluca Frabotta, who is tall and has a different style, to do exactly what I did. I was faster over the first five yards. It's the same with midfielders: I'm not coaching them to be Steven Gerrard or Frank Lampard. I coach them how to be Dimitri Bisoli. I look at how he moves with his attributes and how he can be efficient with his box-to-box engine. It's about adapting my style to the tools I have."
Does he ever get frustrated when a player cannot execute a movement that was instinctive to him? "Never," he says firmly. "We have different physical and mental attributes. It's about adapting my approach to the person in front of me."
Italian Youth Football
Cole is forthright about the state of Italian youth football. "England has one of the best loan systems in the world because our leagues offer different styles," he says. "In Italy, the league is very defensive, so players often only develop one aspect: defending. It's hard to develop technical players if they never touch the ball because the team plays 50-yard long balls. At the youth level, it shouldn't be about winning; it should be about technical development. You don't see the 'Insignes'; the small, technical players in the pocket."
Ambition and England's Chances
Cole's overriding ambition is to take Cesena back to Serie A, and he is sure it will happen under his watch. "100%," he says without hesitation. "Since I've been here, I've seen a dramatic change in the players' mentality. They've embraced change and want to be better. I'm not saying it will happen this season, but the idea going forward is that we need to be in Serie A."
Asked about England's chances at the World Cup, the 107-cap international says: "The talent is unbelievable. The challenge is handling the pressure and expectation. As a player, we failed in that regard, and with the talent we had, that is a regret of mine. The current squad has the character and belief to win it. It will be hard against countries like Brazil, Spain, and Argentina, but England should be right there competing at the top." Which is exactly what he intends to do with Cesena.
