Ashley Cole last played for Derby County in the Championship under former Chelsea and England teammate Frank Lampard. Reuters
Ashley Cole last played for Derby County in the Championship under former Chelsea and England teammate Frank Lampard. Reuters
Ashley Cole last played for Derby County in the Championship under former Chelsea and England teammate Frank Lampard. Reuters
Ashley Cole last played for Derby County in the Championship under former Chelsea and England teammate Frank Lampard. Reuters

Ashley Cole sets sights on coaching career after announcing retirement from football


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Former England, Arsenal and Chelsea full-back Ashley Cole has revealed his plans to move into coaching after announcing his retirement from football.

Cole won 13 major titles during his 20-year career, including the 2012 Uefa Champions League with Chelsea, three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups.

The 38-year-old, who also made 107 appearances for England, announced his retirement on Sky Sports before acting as a pundit for the afternoon's Premier League games.

"After hard thinking and consideration, it was obviously time to hang my boots up and look towards my next chapter, which will hopefully be coaching. I'm doing a course at the moment," said Cole, who played for Championship club Derby County last season before leaving in the summer when his short-term contract expired. "Now I want to be great at being a coach."

Asked to sum up a career in which he made almost 700 appearances at club level for the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Roma and LA Galaxy, Cole added: "Incredible to be honest.

"As a young kid I never expected to be a professional so looking back now to be able to say I played in World Cups, Champions League finals ... being lucky enough to lift Premier League titles is a young kid's dream so I've fulfilled my dream."

Despite winning so many trophies with Arsenal and Chelsea, Cole said he was proudest of his England caps. Only Peter Shilton, Wayne Rooney, David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Bobby Moore have made more England appearances.

"I probably didn't grasp it as much as I should," Cole said. "I look back now and I've played for my country, not just once but I've managed to play over 100 times.

"I'm proud of that and it's just a little bit disappointing I didn't get to a final or even a semi-final with England."

Cole began his career with Arsenal and, after a brief loan spell at Crystal Palace, went on to make more than 200 appearances for the Gunners, lifting the FA Cup three times and winning the Premier League twice.

He was a member of the "Invincibles" who went through the 2003/04 Premier League season unbeaten, but left the club in acrimonious circumstances in 2006.

Cole was fined £100,000 (Dh446,000) - later reduced to £75,000 on appeal - for his part in an illegal approach from Chelsea in 2005, the club he would join for £5 million the following year.

It was a move which angered Arsenal fans, who dubbed him "Cashley" after learning via his autobiography that Cole had "nearly swerved off the road" after being told by his agent that Arsenal were offering £55,000 per week in contract negotiations, compared to £90,000 from Chelsea.

Cole won the FA Cup in his first season at Stamford Bridge and four times in total and also won the Premier League in 2010 and the Champions League in 2012, scoring in the penalty shoot-out as Chelsea beat Bayern Munich.

After leaving Chelsea in 2014 Cole enjoyed spells with Roma and LA Galaxy before ending his playing career under former Chelsea teammate Frank Lampard at Derby.

Sole survivors
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  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.

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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma

When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

25-MAN SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Daniel Akpeyi
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina, Abdullahi Shehu, Chidozie Awaziem, William Ekong, Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo, Jamilu Collins, Semi Ajayi 
Midfielders: John Obi Mikel, Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, John Ogu
Forwards: Ahmed Musa, Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon, Henry Onyekuru, Odion Ighalo, Alexander Iwobi, Samuel Kalu, Paul Onuachu, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze 

On Standby: Theophilus Afelokhai, Bryan Idowu, Ikouwem Utin, Mikel Agu, Junior Ajayi, Valentine Ozornwafor

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier

ICC Academy, November 22-28

UAE fixtures
Nov 22, v Malaysia
Nov 23, v Hong Kong
Nov 25, v Bhutan
Nov 26, v Kuwait
Nov 28, v Nepal

ICC T20I rankings
14. Nepal
17. UAE
25. Hong Kong
34. Kuwait
35. Malaysia
44. Bhutan 

UAE squad
Chaya Mughal (captain), Natasha Cherriath, Samaira Dharnidharka, Kavisha Egodage, Mahika Gaur, Priyanjali Jain, Suraksha Kotte, Vaishnave Mahesh, Judit Peter, Esha Rohit, Theertha Satish, Chamani Seneviratne, Khushi Sharma, Subha Venkataraman

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Match info

Wolves 0

Arsenal 2 (Saka 43', Lacazette 85')

Man of the match: Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal)

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4.35pm Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,200m

5.10pm Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 $350,000 (Turf) 1,200m

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6.20pm Jebel Hatta Group 1 $400,000 (T) 1,800m

6.55pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $600,000 (D) 2,000m

7.30pm Dubai City Of Gold Group 2 $350,000 (T) 2,410m

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4.35pm Ibn Malik

5.10pm Space Blues

5.45pm Kimbear

6.20pm Barney Roy

6.55pm Matterhorn

7.30pm Defoe

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