Topics: Ashley Cole, Italy, Football
Italian media have made their feelings clear on Ashley Cole's surprise appointment as manager of Serie B side Cesena.
Cole, 45, has worked as an assistant coach at Everton, Derby County and Birmingham City since retiring as a player, and has most recently been part of the England setup.
According to Correire Romagna, Cole resigned his role with the FA on Friday, with English football's governing body then sending the relevant documentation to the FIGC, their Italian equivalent, to allow him to be appointed as Cesena manager.
He has signed a contract until the end of the season, reportedly with an option for an additional year if the club reach the Serie B play-offs.
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Cesena currently occupy the sixth and final play-off spot with eight games of the season remaining, but haven't won in seven matches.
That prompted their decision to dispense of the services of Michele Magnini, with Cole - in his first managerial job - appointed as his successor.
The former England left-back has been widely praised for his work as a coach, and he has also worked under Frank Lampard and Lee Carsley.
But what do local media make of Cole's return to Italy, 10 years after his stint as a player at Roma came to an end?
The official website of esteemed journalist Gianluca Di Marzio (via Instagram) states that, while Cole's appointment may look 'at first glance ... like just an exotic gamble', it goes on to say: "Examining his career path carefully, the choice of Ashley Cole as the new manager of Cesena has the appearance of a sports novel written with clarity and awareness."
Tuttomercatoweb, meanwhile, describe his appointment as being 'reminiscent of Como's, when in 2023 they decided to promote current coach Cesc Fabregas on an interim basis from the Primavera team'.
Fabregas' arrangement was an unusual one in that he didn't possess a UEFA Pro Licence when he took charge - something that is not an issue with Cole.
The Spaniard was given dispensation to take interim charge for a month between November and December 2023, before becoming an assistant to Osian Roberts for the remainder of the campaign.
After Como's promotion, Fabregas took sole charge in the summer of 2024 and, this season, has guided them to an impressive fourth place in Serie A.
Correire Romagna, meanwhile, describe it as 'unbelievable' that Cole and assistant Jack Mesure, who formerly worked at Chelsea, have only been given potentially eight games in charge of the club.
While Calciomercato write: "Cesena's decision to hire Ashley Cole is tied to the American owners' desire to further internationalise the club, choosing a coach who, despite never having led a first team, has extensive international experience as a player and has worked with key coaching staffs."
