TheFA.com: Having recently been appointed by Aston Villa, was it particularly nice for you to attend an FA coaching diploma as a manager rather than a former manager.

David O'Leary: I don't think it matters one way or the other to be honest because in this business people are always in and out of jobs. When people are together in a group, nobody looks and says "you're in, you're out."

TheFA.com: One of the talks was done by Don Howe, who used to be your coach and then manager at Arsenal back in the mid-1980s. How was it catching up with him again?

DO: It was amazing to get my graduation certificate off Don, it shows what a small world it is. Don made a great impression on me as a coach and gave me the idea that I would like to go into management. He was a great influence on me, I worked with him for about eight years and he was always very organised and knew what he wanted out of people.

TheFA.com: It must be hard for a manager to keep up as the game in general changes

DO: Football has got more professional, players are quicker, bigger, better athletes and more technical. I thought the Premiership last year was as good as ever. As a coach, you are always learning - there are always new ideas to take on board.

TheFA.com: Did the course focus on coaching or management?

DO: Everything. It added more to your knowledge, psychology, theory and different people discussing things late into the evening. I had enough experience of dealing with young, highly-paid players at Leeds to realise that coaching is only one part of being a modern manager.

TheFA.com: What do you think you have learned most from your Leeds days that you can take into the new job at Aston Villa?

DO: Don't be as opinionated. Be more of a diplomat than being honest and keep out of the press. My football record speaks for itself at Leeds.

David O'Leary was talking to Joe Bernstein

2003 UEFA Pro Licence intake:
Mark Bowen (Birmingham City), Paul Bracewell (The FA), John Carver (Newcastle), Stephan Constantine (India Football Association), Kevin Dillon (Reading), Iain Dowie (Oldham), Wally Downes (Brentford), David Geddis (Newcastle), Joe Jordan, Nicky Law (Bradford), Brian Laws (Scunthorpe), Neil McDonald (Bolton), Richard Money (Aik Solna), Tony Mowbray (Ipswich), Sean O'Driscoll (Bournemouth), John Peacock (The FA), Geoff Pike (PFA), Steve Round (Middlesbrough), Kevin Sheedy (Hartlepool), Paul Simpson, Steve Walford (Celtic), Mark Hughes (Welsh FA)

2003 FA Coaching Diploma intake:
Micky Adams (Leicester), Keith Alexander (Lincoln), Kevan Broadhurst (Northampton), Steve Bruce (Birmingham), Chris Coleman (Fulham), Andy Hessenthaler (Gillingham), Glynn Hodges (Barnsley), Ian Holloway (QPR), Paul Jewell (Wigan), Andy King (Swindon), Gary McAllister (Coventry), Steve McClaren (and Pro-License, Middlesbrough), Gary Megson (West Brom), Ronnie Moore (Rotherham), Mike Newell (Luton), Rob Newman (Southend), David O'Leary (Aston Villa), Andrew Preece (Bury), Peter Reid (Leeds), Michael Tait (Darlington)