A look at the UEFA Pro Licence refresher and mid-season masterclass.
Brendan Rodgers and Malky Mackay are both busy men in the midst of successful seasons.
However, the managers of Swansea and Cardiff City both made time to contribute something back to the coaching and management profession presenting at The FA’s UEFA Pro Licence course this week.
Rodgers and Mackay were joined by former Liverpool European Cup-winning manager Rafa Benitez and Manchester United’s first team coach Rene Meulensteen to give detailed insights to over 50 coaches and managers from across the game who gathered for the UEFA Pro Licence mid-season master class and refresher course.
The UEFA Pro Licence course is the summit of the coaching ladder and a mandatory qualification for those who have aspirations of coaching at the highest level of the game. The UEFA Pro Licence path is one Rodgers, Mackay and Meulensteen have all followed and is testimony to the quality of the course.
“It’s great that they’ve come back to support the existing Pro Licence holders and the refresher group,” explained
John Peacock, UEFA Pro Licence course director.
“It shows there are good young coaches out there who work very hard at what they do and have done for many years to get to where they’ve got. They’ve learned a lot over the years and I think they want to share and give something back."
Coaches who hold the award must complete 15 hours of continuous professional development every three years to maintain their qualification. The exchange of information both formally and informally during the course is integral to the experience.
“It’s a wonderful football gathering: an exchange of ideas and a part of our continued development as coaches and people,” explained Rodgers, whose Swansea side received plaudits from England Manager
Fabio Capello speaking on the opening day of the course.
“I’ve always liked to exchange and share ideas and listen to different people from different walks of life and different sports, so the last few days have been fantastic,” added Rodgers.
The Pro Licence course is unique in its content and aims to prepare candidates for the multiple and varied demands faced by the modern manager and coach. Outward looking in approach, the course utilises lectures and seminars led by experts outside of football.
This fresh perspective is something refresher course candidates including former England midfielder Peter Reid and Barnet manager Lawrie Sanchez also cited as beneficial and effective.
“I’m a big cricket fan so I was delighted when Peter Moores [Lancashire Cricket Club] spoke and I thought it was a really interesting analogy between cricket and football," explained former Manchester City, Sunderland and Plymouth Argyle manager Reid.
"He talked about players – because that’s what it’s all about: how you manage them, how you coach them and I thought it was very good. I think there should be more of these things [coaching refreshers] once a year, one every six months."
On the final day of the masterclass course, the candidates, including Preston North End’s recently appointed manager, Graham Westley, were put under scrutiny by The Daily Telegraph’s Henry Winter and other members of the national press in a media training day that looked at the many facets involved in a manager’s media responsibilities.
Alistair Smith, FA Learning Consultant and contributor to the design of the course, explained that the course aims to replicate the challenges of the industry.
“What we’re trying to do is challenge people’s thinking; the range of speakers that John and Dick [Bate, The FA's Elite Coaching Manager] have provided, have done just that. They’ve taken people out of their comfort zones a little bit and made them think about some fundamental issues. The level of detail and the openness and honesty with which each of the presenters has approached the task has been incredible.”
Re-visit TheFA.com on Monday, when FATV will have a behind-the-scenes video from this week's Pro Licence
More coverage of the UEFA Pro Licence will also be available via TheFA.com and The FA Licensed Coaches' Club website over the coming days
