Everton agree deal in principle for Ashley Cole to join coaching team
Everton have agreed a deal in principle to hire Ashley Cole as a new coach at Finch Farm, according to The Mirror.
The newspaper reported via their print edition on Thursday [2 February, page 59] that Frank Lampard has moved to reunite with his former Chelsea teammate, who’s currently working with the England Under-21s and with the academy at Stamford Bridge.
Lampard was hired as Rafa Benitez’s successor on Monday and Joe Edwards, Paul Clement and Chris Jones have already been snapped up to his coaching team.
Good move
Lampard has wasted no time in assembling a coaching team that’s made up of men who he knows well from his career and that he can trust.
It goes without saying how well he knows Cole, having played alongside the former left-back for both Chelsea and England.
Edwards has worked at Chelsea, Jones was part of his set-up at Derby and Clement was also at Stamford Bridge when Lampard was there but has also managed Derby, Swansea, Reading and Cercle Brugge.
Clement’s a vital appointment in Lampard’s coaching team but Edwards, Jones and Cole are all set to play massive parts too.
Lampard has it all to do at Finch Farm.
There’s no doubt that his arrival and deadline day signings of Dele Alli and Donny van de Beek will provide a boost at the club.
But will that translate into their performances on the pitch?
First up for Lampard is an FA Cup fourth round clash with Brentford at Goodison on Saturday afternoon.
Win that, and it’ll be an amazing week for Evertonians – something they haven’t had in a long time.
In other Everton news, the Blues are leading Newcastle in the race to secure another behind-the-scenes arrival.