Nottingham Forest manager Gary Megson.
'A thirst for knowledge'
By Neil Martin. Tuesday, 28 June 2005.
Gary Megson insists English coaches are just as good, if not better, than their foreign counterparts - and keen to improve even more.
The Nottingham Forest manager is just one of an illustrious group of managers currently studying for their UEFA Pro Licence on the FA-run 
course at Warwick University.
Part of the curriculum includes a trip abroad to study the way foreign coaches work and Megson believes we have nothing to feel inferior about.
And he feels top coaches in this country are getting better all the time and eager to share ideas and learn even more.
"I think there is a perception that English and British coaches are not as good as the ones abroad and I think we need to nail that. I think that's up to us as individuals, but also The FA on behalf of football in this country," Megson says.
"I would certainly say that British coaches and managers are not behind those in Europe. And from what I have seen we are every bit as good as continental coaches and in many cases better.
"I think where we slip up is being able to speak a different language. A lot of the foreign coaches can come over here and immediately communicate, and yet some very 
good coaches here would not be looked at in Italy or Spain because of the language problems.
"That is something we have to look at as individuals, but in terms of knowledge of football and coaching we are every bit as good if not better than our foreign counterparts.
"There is a thirst for knowledge from all of us. I don't think anybody in football thinks they know it all," he adds.
"What we have got to try get across is that the English managers are there to manage the big English clubs."
Megson believes coaching courses like the one at Warwick can only help the top English managers become even better.
And he has been impressed with the forward-thinking programme which has seen business people and psychologists offer an insight into 
new ways at looking at the problems faced by football managers.
"I have enjoyed the course immensely and I think it is really well organised," Megson adds.
"In terms of what you get out of it, some of the people they invite in from different industries opens your eyes up to different ways of doing things.
"One of the things maybe we need to look at more is the mental side of the game. There has been quite an emphasis put on that, with people speaking to us who have a business perspective.
"They don't have anything to do with football, but their leadership and management follow the same principles."