Joe Cole: Chelsea ‘insanity’ exposed by Alonso appointment as BlueCo told to sign two free agents | OneFootball

Joe Cole has candidly told Football365 how he feels about Chelsea’s appointment of Xabi Alonso, while he also named two high-profile out-of-contract stars he would like his former club to sign this summer.

Alonso was announced as Chelsea’s new manager last month, with the former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen boss set to begin a four-year contract on 1 July.

The Spain legend played for Real Sociedad, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich during a glittering playing career that concluded in 2017.

Alonso had frequently been linked with the Liverpool job, but his former club are set to hire Andoni Iraola after sacking Arne Slot.

The 44-year-old’s arrival at Chelsea follows a turbulent season at Stamford Bridge, with the West London side having finished 10th and missing out on European football after parting ways with both Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.

After starting his career at West Ham United, Cole established himself as a legend at Chelsea – his boyhood club – during a spell spanning from 2003 to 2010.

Cole scored 39 goals in 282 appearances for Chelsea and won three Premier League titles, two FA Cups and one League Cup with the Blues.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Football365, Cole admitted he is “stunned” that Chelsea were able to persuade Alonso to become their manager.

“Obviously, we’re getting somebody who’s operated at the highest level for club and country, both as a player and as a manager,” Cole said. “[He] understands the mentality of a big club, understands the Premier League. All of the aspects you need.

“I’m stunned that we’ve got him, but I’m very happy we’ve got him, because I’m sure there was other options for him to take a job. I think he probably looked at it, him and his team, and thought, ‘Listen, Chelsea cannot get any lower than this, so it’s a good time to take the club.’

“He’s just gonna be building his team, building what he wants to do, and I’m really excited to see what Chelsea turn up next year. “

Alonso’s two previous bosses, Rosenior and Maresca, both had the title of head coach rather than manager.

Cole, who is now a pundit for TNT Sports, argued a manager is exactly what Chelsea need as he described the knowledge vacuum at his former club as “insane.”

“I think the club needs a manager, not a head coach, because there’s a lot of voices,” said the 44-year-old. “There’s a lot of inexperienced voices, at that level, in the ownership group. I’m not saying they’re not good at their job. I’m just saying there’s nobody with Xabi Alonso’s knowledge and wisdom of how to run a football club, which is insane.

“But they’ve got him in now, and they’ve changed the title to manager. I hope it’s not just a PR thing, I hope he gets more power and more control, and I think they just need to listen. Let him tell you the players he wants, then you go out and buy the players. And if you can’t afford them, tell him, and he’ll find another lot of players that he wants. But it has to be his players.

“I know people will probably point to Brighton and Brentford and teams like that, where the model is slightly different. But in all due respect, as football clubs, they’re in a different stratosphere [to Chelsea], in terms of what they want to do.

“And I think the biggest difference, once you get to the Champions League level, every club has elite footballers, and you can’t be getting players who could possibly be elite footballers, it has to be ready-made elite footballers at Chelsea.”

The former England international went on to call for “humility” and “patience” from Chelsea’s owners.

“Humility and patience, because every man and his dog is looking at it and knows what it’s crying out for,” he continued. “Just do it. It doesn’t matter that we made a mistake and Chelsea are not where they’re meant to be. We all make mistakes. But, you have to hold your hands up. Otherwise, you keep repeating the mistakes.

“My biggest advice for them is: let Xabi do his job, leave him alone, give him time, let him sign the players he wants, let him build. If Chelsea go through a difficult period, let him find his way out of it, because who else are you gonna get? Another manager? You certainly won’t get another manager with the credentials of Xabi Alonso to come in after him.”

Cole pushed back on the suggestion that major squad surgery is required at Chelsea this summer, and he identified free agents John Stones and Robert Lewandowski as potential signings.

“I don’t think there needs to be big change in the squad, there needs to be adjustments,” Cole assessed. “I don’t think there’s the finances for big change. I think there needs to be decisions made on the top players, because I’m guessing that the books need to be balanced with no Champions League football, so maybe you might see some players out the door. One of the big hitters might have to leave.

“I wouldn’t be averse to going and getting players who are on a free. John Stones, Lewandowski. And just adding to the experience in the group. They don’t need to play every game, every minute of every game. Letting them guide the new players through. If Chelsea can do that, then we’re in a good place.

“The difference isn’t as big as what people think it is. You sprinkle a few experienced players over that team, allow a bit of calm and let the manager work, and they’ll be back up challenging for Champions League places next season. He’ll have a lot of time to work on the training pitch [With Chelsea not being in Europe].”

Cole playing Sunday league

Cole was speaking after appearing in Specsavers’ Best Worst Team YouTube series, which follows the fortunes of Warley FC – a Sunday league team in Essex dubbed the worst football team in the country after losing 18 of their 20 matches and conceding 81 goals in the 2024/25 season.

Aided by former Manchester City defender Micah Richards stepping into the assistant manager role, Warley FC enjoyed a transformation in the 25/26 campaign as they finished fourth after winning 10 of their last 12 games.

Cole, who retired from professional football in 2018, played a match – and scored – for Warley FC, and he only has positive things to say about the experience.

“I loved it. It’s always great to play football, and they’ve got a real good team spirit. And Micah’s obviously doing a great job of bringing the boys together,” Cole said.

“Loved the game, really enjoyed it, and it was great to be on the football pitch again. The improvement from the clips that we watched and the tactical things that we looked at, that they were trying to get from the game, was night and day. It was brilliant.

“When I first retired, I went back and played for a Sunday league team with my old friends growing up. It was a fantastic experience. It’s the heart and soul of football.

“Particularly how the world is, it’s so important for men, and women as well, to get together and play some sports on a Sunday, with your pals. To try and come together and spend some time.

“For mental health, it’s just such a positive thing to do, and I think it’s something that we should be encouraging and expanding.”

On the importance of grassroots football, Cole added: “Yeah, I think the way the world’s going at the moment, people tend to be a lot more on their screens and things like that, so you have to actively get yourself out of bed, go to training, get down the gym. All the good things, healthy things for you.

“But it’s the unseen things, it’s the camaraderie, it’s just being with people rather than being behind your phone constantly. Fresh air. All of the little things that you get from playing. It’s fantastic.”