The idea of coaching only came to Cole towards the end of his playing career at LA Galaxy. Starting out with Chelsea’s U15 and U16 squads meant stepping out of his comfort zone and gaining his first real coaching experience. "I had experience from the coaches I played under, but that alone isn’t enough for success. I knew what I wanted to take from them, but I didn’t know how to pass it on to the players in the right way. I first had to find myself in the role of a coach."
Throughout his career, he learned from greats like José Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, and Guus Hiddink, but when working with youth, he focused mainly on psychology and an individual approach. "I enjoy getting to know my players and finding out what motivates them and what helps them perform at their best," he explained in an interview with Petr Čech. He considers understanding each player’s personality and finding a way to bring out the best in them to be key.
His overall philosophy was most shaped by Arsene Wenger, who gave players freedom and taught them independence directly on the pitch. "I let the game itself be the teacher. Wenger trusted his players to play with freedom and make the right decisions, without punishing them by benching them for taking risks."
The full TV version of this episode of the Big Pete documentary series will be available on CANAL+ Sport and the CANAL+ streaming service in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Poland, Myanmar, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Romania, and Hungary, and on SuperSport in South Africa and Switzerland.