Sam Allardyce believes the camaraderie between managers and coaches currently taking The FA's UEFA Pro Licence badge is just as important as the course studies themselves.

The Bolton boss is just one of a number of high-profile managers taking part in the residential element of the programme at Warwick University.

And although he is learning a lot from the formal sessions which cover a broad range of subjects from fitness and conditioning to dealing with the media, Allardyce says plenty more knowledge is passed around when the students relax after a busy day in the classroom.

"Even me, as old and experienced as I am, have found the course tremendously organised, well put together and we have had some fantastic speakers," he said, speaking to TheFA.com.

"They have had great information, as well as great humour and we have also had good banter between all the people on the course.

"I think there have been some very good relationships formed here that we don't always see.

"I am always curious. To get where I am you have to look at what other people have to offer and see whether you can take any of that to enhance your performance.

"Certainly on this course I have met a number of professionals from both inside and outside the game who have given me numerous ideas to take into next season and hopefully that will make Bolton better in terms of results."

Allardyce has welcomed the Premier League's rule-change that means that all top flight managers must hold the UEFA Pro Licence badge by 2010.

But he believes the football authorities should go even further and make the course mandatory for all professional managers at every level of the game in England.

And he has called on club chairmen looking to fill vacant jobs to properly recognise the amount of education that people coming off the FA course will possess.

"I think for the younger element in this country it is absolutely crucial they go through this course. All the information is so relevant and so specific it can do nothing buy help them and guide them in whatever they choose to do in football," he says.

"The course is intensive and there is nothing missed out. People come out of it ready to do what is a very difficult job.

"This badge really needs to be mandatory in every professional division in this country.

"Our peers and our bosses and The FA and the Premier League, as well as those in charge of The Championship, should be pushed into making this course mandatory.

"Sometimes people just come straight out of playing football and expect to step straight into coaching.

"If chairmen want to do that I think they are making a big mistake because there is a lot of learning needs to go and understanding to put those experiences of a player into coaching and management."