FAI launch Player Education Programme Pilot
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) have launched a Player Education Programme Pilot with Shamrock Rovers players who expressed interest in accessing formal coach development qualifications with the FAI through a Club-based approach.
Shamrock Rovers players from their SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division squad recently began their coaching qualification process with the UEFA B Licence recently during the days off training.
With the support of the Club’s Management team, the programme is conducted in the Club’s own environment with the programme available to all League of Ireland Clubs too.
Shamrock Rovers players Lee Grace, Jack Byrne, Enda Stevens, Dylan Watts, Tunmise Sobowale, Graham Burke, Matt Healy, John McGovern, Danny Grant and Jake Mulraney participated in the programme.
St. Patrick’s Athletic will be the next Club to take part in the course.
Niall O’Regan, FAI Head of Education and Development, said: "It is great to get this pilot started and for us to really focus on working with the Clubs directly and allowing senior players complete their formal coaching qualifications with us at UEFA Licence levels. Allowing the players to do this in their own Clubs, allows for ease of access, for bespoke learning to be designed around their availability and encourages a real culture of dual career development, focusing on the future and preparing for life after playing. It is also great for the players to be able to use their Club academy players to complete the practical components of the course, and in doing so acting as role models for the younger players within the Club Academy.”
Craig Sexton, FAI Coach Development Manager, said: “We recently began our UEFA B Licence pilot with eligible senior men's players at Shamrock Rovers as a pilot programme. The in-club UEFA B Licence Pilot is a really important step for us providing more supports for current players and help with that eventual transition out of the game. I’d like to thank Ronan Finn and Stephen Bradley at Shamrock Rovers for facilitating and hosting the programme within their own environment. This is the first of two Pilots in 2026, where we have been working closely with Ger O’Brien and St Patrick’s Athletic who will kick off their Club programme next month. We look forward to working with more Clubs into the future.”
For clubs that wish to express an interest in participating in the programme please contact [email protected].
