Cole: England lacked faith, Italy gave me a chance

Ashley Cole, a former Chelsea defender, has voiced his disappointment regarding the scarcity of managerial positions offered by English clubs. He stated that these clubs often cited a lack of experience as a reason for not hiring him, hindering his path to gaining that very experience.

Cole has since accepted his first full-time managerial role with Italian Serie B club Cesena, viewing their decision as a significant act of faith. He expressed pride in being in Italy and intends to develop a distinctive playing style by integrating lessons learned throughout his distinguished playing career.

While Cole has experienced early mixed results with Cesena, including a loss and a win, the team currently holds a promotion playoff spot with four games remaining. He acknowledges that the club is not yet ready for promotion to the top flight and is focused on building the team's foundation.

Cole aspires to win trophies but recognizes he must first establish his own managerial identity, drawing inspiration from various successful coaches he played under without directly emulating them.