Coaching students fast-tracked to Premier League

Published: 10 July 2015 at 13:59

Anglia Ruskin University teams up with Southampton FC’s top class academy

Students of a unique football coaching course will have the chance to work with a Premier League club as part of their degree.

Up to three students studying Anglia Ruskin University’s BSc (Hons) Coaching for Performance in Football will undergo work placements with Southampton FC’s academy as part of their degree course. It is expected that more students will join the scheme in the future.

Anglia Ruskin has developed the degree in consultation with clubs and football associations to address the need for more quality coaches at the higher levels of football and to provide higher education for those looking for a career in the field.

This established degree course will begin its third intake in September and it is a pre-requisite of the course to be working with a UK National League (formerly Conference) club or higher, or the equivalent in another country, and to put ideas learned on the course into practice while the student is working.

Edd Vahid, Head of Coaching at Southampton FC Academy, said:

“The club has established successful work placement programmes in a number of disciplines, including sports science and video analysis.  A natural progression is to extend this provision to coaching.
“Combining the academic insights of a Coaching for Performance qualification at Anglia Ruskin with coaching experience in the academy environment creates an outstanding development opportunity.”

Jan Skene, Head of Degrees at Work at Anglia Ruskin, said:

“Southampton FC have a global reputation for developing young players and have one of the most successful football academy models in the world. They focus on developing the best young coaches to bring on the best players. They are pioneering in their approaches to injury prevention, talent identity and development, and want to take the lead in raising the stakes in the expectations of their coaches. The Anglia Ruskin degree course allows them to do this.
“The course attracts experienced and new coaches from all over the world and these placements will offer the opportunity for aspiring coaches prepared to work hard to get vital experience at a Premier League club.”

The first placements with Southampton FC will start in September. To apply for a place on the course, visit aru.ac.uk/football. People interested in the work placements should call the Degrees at Work team on 01245 686707, or e-mail [email protected] in the first instance, to ensure they have everything they need to process their application. The deadline for applications is 31 July.