27 June 2005
Bryan Robson: UEFA Pro Licence

The West Brom manager takes time out from his UEFA Pro Licence course to speak to TheFA.com.


Bryan Robson has admitted coaching badges like the UEFA Pro Licence can improve even experienced former players like himself.

Former England captain Robson played 90 times for the Three Lions and also won the inaugural Premiership title with Manchester United.

There were also three FA Cups and the European Cup Winners Cup as Robson won plenty of silverware under top managers such as Ron Atkinson and Alex Ferguson.

So in 1994, when he made the move into management with Middlesbrough, the former 'Captain Marvel' thought he knew everything about the game to become a successful coach.

However, he now admits that he missed out on a vast wealth of knowledge by not enrolling for coaching courses earlier in his managerial career.

But all that has now changed, with the current West Brom boss one of a number of big names at Warwick University this week working towards the UEFA Pro Licence badge.

And Robson acknowledges that even for experienced ex-players like himself, the FA-run course can teach many new skills.

"I never thought badges were that important when I was a player. I thought I could see what managers did and what coaches did and just take it on board," Robson explains.

"That's how I went into management at first. But now that I have taken all my badges I can see there is a terrific amount of knowledge on the courses and it definitely makes you a better coach, a better manager and a better person in the long run.

"I think most ex-players thought it was a natural progression that they could be a coach because of their experience.

"But even this week I've picked up things about how to communicate - for example how to approach a player if he has got a problem.

"You might not be learning tactical things, because I think that knowledge is there already, but it's important to get things across properly to the players to make sure they know what you are talking about."

Robson is just one of a number of top English managers on the current course - with Sam Allardyce, Steve McClaren and Gary Megson also in Warwick - and he believes it is important that coaching standards in this country are as highly regarded as those coming in from abroad.

"Foreign coaches have been doing these courses for years. And we now have foreign coaches coming in and managing our top clubs," he explains.

"We've got to turn that round and as Brits we have to say: 'Let's not have the foreign managers coming in at our top clubs, let's be better and be the managers at those clubs ourselves'.

"I think we have the knowledge and the skills to do that."

However, Robson admits there are some things the course cannot properly prepare you for - such as the nailbiting tension of a relegation battle that goes to the very last minutes of a Premiership season.

"Hopefully I won't have to go to the last game of the season to stay up this season. I'm hoping we'll be a bit more comfortable," the Baggies boss jokes.

"You don't learn about the stress of that situation and they can't teach you how exciting it is when it all goes well for you!"

UEFA Pro Licence course

The 2004 intake (that will graduate after the final elements of this weeks course) are: Ian Atkins, Andy Barlow, Frank Barlow, Kevin Blackwell, George Burley, Ian Butterworth, Terry Connor, Chris Evans, John Gorman, Brent Hills, Alan Irvine, Bryan Klug, Colin Lee, Gary Megson, John Morling, Phillip Parkinson, Bryan Robson, Glynn Snodin, Kevin Summerfield, Steve Wigley, Sam Allardyce, Steve McClaren.

The 2005 intake of students are: Martin Allen, Kevin Bond, Adrian Boothroyd, Stephen Clarke, John Collins, Paul Davis, Nigel Gibbs, Kenny Jackett, Martin Ling, John McMahon, Keith Millen, Eddie Niedzwiechi, Chris Ramsey, Martin Scott, Rene Meulensteen, Dave Penney, Neil Thompson.

Previous graduates include: Ian Dowie (Crystal Palace), Stuart Pearce (Man City), Hope Powell (England Women's), Mark Hughes (Blackburn), Lawrie Sanchez (Northern Ireland), Chris Hughton (Tottenham), Alan Pardew (West Ham), Nigel Worthington (Norwich), Sammy Lee (England), Phil Brown (Derby), Nigel Pearson (West Brom), Stuart Baxter (South Africa).

Fancy getting involved and learning more about the game? You don't need to be a professional coach to get on an FA course. FA Learning run a range of courses for all students at all levels of the game.

Click here to find out more.