Joe Cole returned to Chelsea where he played between 2003 and 2010 to prepare for his coaching career. Over the next six months he’ll work with various age groups, including U18s, to be ready to assume the responsibilities of a technical academy coach from the next season onwards.
Chelsea head of youth development Neil Bath said: ”We are delighted Joe has agreed to return to Chelsea and coach in the Academy.
It has always been our philosophy to have a number of ex-players involved in our coaching structure so they can pass on their unique experiences and what it means to play for Chelsea.
”Joe will work across a number of age groups and with various staff to ensure he gets to experience the full range of our programme.
I’m sure sharing his experiences and football knowledge, combined with his obvious passion for the game, will help enormously with the development of our young players.”
Cole has never concealed his intention to coach. After he retired this season, he said: ”Looking to the future, I want to stay involved in the game and I feel I can offer a lot as a coach. To lend my experience to help other young footballers achieve their dreams, just like I did, is a big passion of mine.”
Although Cole is a West Ham academy product, Chelsea was arguably the biggest club in his career. He won the Premier League on three occasions, the FA Cup twice and the League Cup in the blue shirt.