Ashley Cole: Former England defender takes full-time FA role as national team manager

Ashley Cole has been offered a full-time job as national coach at the English Football Association.

The former England left-back supports interim manager Lee Carsley and is an assistant with the England men’s national team.

Cole, 43, who has made 107 appearances for England, combined his role with his role as first-team coach at Birmingham City.

The former Arsenal and Chelsea left-back will now play exclusively for the English top club and will continue to support Carsley in the meantime, the English Football Association said.

Cole joined the FA on a part-time basis in July 2021 to support Carsley with the men’s under-21s. Together they helped England to victory at the European Under-21 Championship in Georgia last year.

Cole played for the Three Lions from 2001 to 2014, including five major tournaments, and won three Premier League titles during his career, plus the Champions League in 2012 with Chelsea.