Liam Duckstein
Ashley Cole is finalising a move to become the head coach of Serie B outfit Cesena. This role represents the first senior managerial appointment for the 45 year old Chelsea and Arsenal legend, who has spent the last five years building a coaching resume across domestic and international levels.
Transition from Coaching to Management
Since his retirement in 2019, Ashley Cole has accumulated experience as an assistant and youth coach. He worked at Chelsea within the Under-15 and Under-16 age groups before joining Frank Lampard on the bench at Everton. Cole also held a position at Derby County and served as part of Wayne Rooney‘s staff during his tenure at Birmingham City.
On the international stage, Cole was a key member of Lee Carsley‘s setup. He assisted Carsley during England‘s Under-21 Euro victories in 2023 and 2025. Following Carsley‘s stint as interim boss of the senior England team, the FA appointed Cole as a full time national coach in 2024.
“I definitely want to give it a go. It’s quite hard when you’re a number two to be measured if I’m good or not. I’m definitely feeling I’m nearly ready and I’m getting there. I have to find my own personality. Be authentic. I’ve found a way to lead, push people, and bring people on a journey with me.”
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The Task at Cesena
Cesena currently occupy 8th place in the Serie B standings. The club dismissed manager Michele Mignani on Saturday, leaving a vacancy in the dugout as the team remains in the hunt for promotion. The Serie B promotion structure is rigorous:
- The top two teams earn automatic promotion to Serie A.
- Teams finishing 3rd to 8th enter a play-off bracket.
- Side finishing 3rd and 4th skip the preliminary round to enter the semi-finals.
- The 5th to 8th placed teams must compete in an opening knockout round.
Cesena sit 17 points adrift of Palermo in 4th. If Cole takes the helm, he faces the challenge of securing a play-off spot while Venezia and Monza dictate the pace at the top of the table. Cole brings an elite playing background to the role, having made 384 Premier League appearances and earning 107 caps for England alongside three league titles and a Champions League trophy. Keep up with the latest managerial movements and Italian football updates on TipsGG.