With Roy Keane and Kevin Ball completing their Pro Licence this week, Neil Bailey and Tony Loughlan will complete a quartet of coaches from Sunderland with the highest coaching award next summer.

Bailey, a former Academy coach at Manchester United who now takes charge of the reserve team at the Stadium of Light, believes that the continuity throughout the club is vital for future progress.

Speaking exclusively to TheFA.com, Bailey said: "If you're asking your players to get better and work harder, then as a staff you have to show that same committment and set an example.

"If you can show that you want to learn and take new ideas on board, as a consequence the players are more likely to do the same.

"The more experience and knowledge you can gain to help you is only going to take things forward. On courses like this you pick up things from everyone around you, and it will only help Sunderland Football Club if as many coaches as possible are open to these ideas."

Bailey also paid tribute to the support he received from Keane.

"The manager supports our work a great deal, he comes to see as many Youth Cup games and reserve matches as he can," Bailey explained.

"That's good for me as a coach because I can demand more from the players when they know he is watching. He takes on board what players do in reserve games, and he wants players to perform well throughout the club.

"That's the principle of building a good club from the top right the way down."

After an exciting first season in the Premier League, Bailey says that Sunderland are looking to improve upon their showing last term.

"I think each year you have to look to establish yourself and then improve. You have to get better as a team and as a club.

"I think everyone knows that the manager sets really high standards. We shouldn't underestimate the achievement of staying in the Premier League.

"It was exciting, it was never comfortable but then you wouldn't expect it to be. It's a demanding and tough league, and you have to earn every point you get."

After making a start on the Pro Licence that he will hope to complete next summer, Bailey had nothing but praise for the course and coaching qualifications in general.

"It has changed dramatically over the last few years in terms of the way you present information, and your way of teaching. Everybody is beginning to realise that everyone learns in different ways, that's what we're asking coaches to do.

"The days of treating everyone the same, making them all do the same things has been evolving for some time now, because everybody is appreciating that players learn in different ways. You've got to find different ways of getting something out of them.

"It's a good course, it's well delivered and I'm looking forward to this coming year."