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Ashley Cole Quits Cesena After Three-Month Spell

Cole said talks with the sporting director over a change in club strategy prompted him to step down as Cesena manager.

Overview

  • Cole was appointed Cesena head coach in March 2026 on a short-term contract through the end of the 2025/26 season and left when the brief deal concluded.
  • He managed eight first-team games, recording one win, three draws and four defeats as Cesena finished 11th in Serie B.
  • In a public statement Cole said recent discussions with sporting director Andrea Mancini about a shift in the club’s strategy led him to decide to move on.
  • Coverage of his spell highlighted practical problems that hampered adaptation, including a language barrier, sections of the fanbase' scepticism and reports of player unease.
  • Cesena have opened a deliberate search for a new coach, with local names such as Guido Pagliuca, Emanuele Troise and Stefano Vecchi linked and the club’s hierarchy overseeing the process.