Former Chelsea, Arsenal, and England defender Ashley Cole has officially stepped down from his position as the coach of the England U21 team, a role he has held for the last five years. This was reported by BBC Sport journalist Paul Battison.
The 45-year-old played a crucial part of Lee Carsley's coaching staff, helping the youth side secure back-to-back European Championship titles. Carsley praised his assistant's contributions, stating:
I want to pay tribute to Ashley, who played a vital role in our two Euro victories and made a key contribution to our current campaign with his tactical and technical insights. I’m sure he’s destined for even greater success in his coaching career, regardless of what the future holds.
Having concluded his playing career in 2019 with 107 caps for the senior England team, alongside honours that included a Champions League trophy, Europa League victory, and three Premier League titles, Cole has journeyed through the coaching ranks at Derby County, Chelsea’s academy, Everton, and Birmingham City. He also assisted Carsley during his temporary stewardship of the senior national team in 2024.
In March, Cole took a shot at coaching in Italy with Cesena in Serie B, but he departed the club by June after a re-evaluation of the club's strategy by the hierarchy.
