Ashley Cole unsure about retirement at the end of the campaign

Derby County defender Ashley Cole has said that he is unsure whether he will prolong his professional career beyond the ongoing campaign. The 38-year-old joined the Rams on a free transfer at the beginning of the year and he has since made eight appearances for the team across all competitions.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Cole acknowledged that he has yet to decide about his playing career beyond the summer but definitely has plans to step into coaching after watching former England teammates in Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard among others do so, he said: “I’m not 100 percent certain on whether I’ll keep playing yet. It’s not really about me anymore, being selfish and deciding I want to keep playing.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen but I’m definitely going to go into coaching. I look at Frank, JT at Villa, Steven Gerrard, Sol Campbell who has done a great job, and I think I’m ready for that stage now. I want to help the young generation and give my knowledge to them. I’ll take my badges and see where it takes me after that. The next chapter could be a year away, who knows?”

Derby were 1-0 down after the opening leg of their Championship playoff against Leeds United and they went further behind after Leeds scored during the early stages of the reverse fixture at Elland Road. However, they made a tremendous comeback with four goals thereafter and that eventually sealed their berth in the Championship playoff final by a 4-3 aggregate score.

Frank Lampard’s team are scheduled to face Aston Villa in the playoff final at the end of the month and they surely go into the game as the underdogs, considering the Villains have convincingly beaten them through the league phase. Still, stranger things have happened in the past and Derby have the chance to make their Premier League comeback after 12 years.