“I wanted to give back to the sport that gave me so much” – Ashley Cole is stepping into his first job as a manager.
Just before 11 pm in Budapest’s Vajdahunyad Castle, Ashley Cole stopped by a backstage green room after watching Paris Saint-Germain hold onto their Champions League title by beating Arsenal in a penalty shoot-out at the Puskas Arena.
Cole, who lifted the Champions League trophy with Chelsea in 2012, greeted everyone politely and settled in for a late interview. He called the final a bit “underwhelming,” with PSG controlling most of the game while Arsenal’s defense kept them mostly at bay except for a penalty scored by Ousmane Dembele.
The chat then shifted to Cole’s new adventure in management, which started this March with Serie B team Cesena. After years coaching at places like Chelsea, Everton, and the England national team, he’s now stepping up as the main manager. It was a surprise first job for him, but he’s loving the challenge.
“I watch as a fan, but I’m always thinking, ‘What’s their plan? How are they trying to break defenses? Where’s the space?’” Cole shared in an exclusive interview with SPORTbible. “I can’t just watch football normally anymore. I’m always breaking it down and thinking how I’d handle it.
“I’ve always wanted to push myself and maybe do things people didn’t expect. There’s a bit of proving people wrong in there too. I’ve learned a lot from coaching at Chelsea, Everton, Birmingham, and with England. But being the head coach is a different game. You only fully get it when you’re in the hot seat.
“I’m learning as I go. Plus, language can be tricky—my wife’s Italian, so I know some, but giving team talks and getting players to trust you is different. It’s a challenge, but I’m not backing off.”
Cole is one of England’s best players from his generation, with 107 caps and three Premier League titles to his name. He’s also in the Premier League Hall of Fame. Working with great coaches over the years taught him many styles and tactics that have shaped his own approach.
“I took something from every coach I worked with,” he said. “Mourinho was super organized and tactical, Wenger let me learn from my mistakes, Ancelotti showed me to care about the person first, Benitez proved even top players keep learning, and Capello taught me how to control games and manage tricky moments.”
Though inspired by these managers, Cole knows he must be himself. “I can’t copy anyone else. This is me. I need to be real, confident, and make players believe in the way I coach. It’s tough, but I’m getting there.”
At Cesena, where he manages Jonathan Klinsmann (Jurgen Klinsmann’s son), the team finished 11th in Serie B—just three points shy of the playoff spots. When he took over, the club was 8th but hadn’t won in seven matches.
“Sometimes the numbers don’t tell the full story,” Cole said. “We made good progress in key areas even if results didn’t jump. There were mental challenges and style changes, but the data showed we moved forward. You need to look beyond what you see.”
As a player, Cole was a strong defender who also loved attacking play. Now as a coach, he’s clear he doesn’t want to just focus on defense. Despite Italy’s reputation for tactical, defensive football, Cole’s goal is to play an attacking and fast-moving style.
“It’s hard to change habits built over years,” he explained. “I want my teams to keep the ball more, build play differently, create space, and attack quickly and consistently. Lee Carsley influenced this approach a lot. Changing minds takes time but it’s how you win and get promoted.”
Having played for Roma too, Cole understands Italian football’s passion. He knows the ultras see football like a religion, not just a game. “They support the team no matter what but expect you to respect their club and work hard. Criticism is part of the job.”
Cole isn’t the only former Arsenal and Chelsea player starting coaching careers in Italy. His ex-teammate Cesc Fabregas took charge of Como, also in Serie B, and led them to Serie A promotion and a Champions League spot in just two years.
Could Cole become a top coach like Fabregas? “Absolutely,” he says. “There are many great young managers, but they need chances and time. Cesc’s done great with top players. He adapts tactics well and is ahead of the curve. I think we all need patience and support.”
Unlike Fabregas, who jumped straight into his first job, Cole chose a slower path with various coaching roles before becoming a head coach. He wanted to understand himself and the game deeply before taking charge.
“I had to find out who I am as a coach—if I’m good enough, if I enjoy it, and if there’s a place for me,” he said. “I wanted to give back to football. I had to learn everything about planning, tactics, and organization.
“I needed to get back to basics and get time on the field. Some guys start higher up, but I needed that foundation. I’m happy with my journey and we’ll see where it takes me.”
Meanwhile, Heineken’s global campaign, Fans Have More Friends, will keep rolling out through 2026 at big football, F1, and music events like the Champions League finals and Coachella.