Originally published 2 June 2004

Ten more football managers and potential managers have signed up to join the unique Warwick Business School course from which new Leeds Manager Kevin Blackwell, play-off finalist Keith Curle, Wales Under 21 manager Glyn Hodges, Manchester City Coach Stuart Pearce and Wycombe manager Tony Adams will graduate this summer. The Certificate in Applied Management in football course is designed to provide them with the business and personal management skills they will need for the increasingly fraught business of football management.

As Stuart Pearce puts it: "I appreciate that the most important thing is to get good results, but to me the bottom line is the more education you can give yourself, and the more preparation you can do, the less chance of failing. That's my philosophy."

Warwick Business School was commissioned by the Professional Footballers Association, the League Managers Association, the Football Association, the Premier League and the Football League to provide a qualification to sit alongside the mandatory UEFA Pro Licence. It is designed to develop the management skills of footballers who are in or who want to take on football management roles.

Those joining the course are:

Chris Hughton (Asst Manager, Tottenham Hotspur & Asst Manager Republic of Ireland), Kevin Ball (Coach Sunderland), Iffy Onuora -(player with Huddersfield Town) Kit Symons - (Asst Manager Crystal Palace), Martin Allen (Manager Brentford), Steve Tilson (Manager Southend), Mark Robins (Sheffield Wednesday & previously Man Utd), Neil Redfearn (Asst Manager Rochdale), Stuart Murdoch (Manager Wimbledon), John Taylor (until recently manager of Cambridge Utd). On Monday June 7th they will begin their course at Warwick in the same week that the last intake of managers and players return to complete their final week of the course.

The managers completing the course are:

Kevin Blackwell - just appointed Leeds manager

Stuart Pearce - Coach Man City

Kenny Jackett - now manager of Swansea

Keith Curle - Mansfield manager

Glyn Hodges - now Wales Under 21 manager

Tony Adams - now Manager Wycombe Wanderers

Paul Brush - Asst Manager Southend

Neil Thompson – recently manager of Boston Utd

Programme Director Dr Sue Bridgewater, of Warwick Business School, said:

 "Since we began working with the LMA, PFA and FA the world of the football manager seems to have become even tougher. Finances are tighter than ever and that puts additional pressures on managers. If anything the media spotlight has intensified and the fans still expect success, right now, whatever pressures the club may be under. There is no one style of successful football manager. We are not trying to build a “designer football manager,” nor could we if we tried. It is crucial in today’s environment, though, that football managers can motivate players on the pitch and have a toolkit of management skills to help them with all aspects of the job.”

PFA Chief executive Gordon Taylor said:

 "The role of the modern football club manager has changed considerably…the high profile nature of the industry now requires that players considering a career in football management need high quality management training".

The League Managers Association Chief Executive, John Barnwell, believes that players appointed to run clubs need time to develop a good understanding of the pressures involved in management. He said:

"It is extremely difficult to make this move without formal training and not one which I would recommend. All future managers should have advanced coaching licences and go through this management course to prepare them for a very difficult profession."

Football Association Learning Director, Robin Russell said:

"We want to create a cadre of excellent managers and coaches through the Certificate in Applied Management and the UEFA Pro Licence and to professionalise football management. "

Photo and Interview Opportunities:
The new managers and players taking the course and those graduating from last years will all be present and available for interview and photographs on the grassy area at the front of Warwick Business School building at 10.30am on Monday June 7th 2004

For further information please contact:

Dr Sue Bridgewater
Warwick Business School
Mobile: 07960 679513
Email: sue.bridgewater@wbs.ac.uk