24 Jun 2008Uefa warn English clubs over Pro-Licence

Football Leagues/ Association and Governance | Football Referees, Players, Managers and Media

Andy Roxburgh, technical director of Uefa, believes that Paul Ince will be one of the last Premier League managers to take a job in England without a Pro Licence.

Blackburn Rovers fans will see Ince in control of their team next season after their new boss was given two years to earn his licence.

The licence gives a manager the qualification required to coach in the top flight and Mr Roxburgh believes English clubs could risk being thrown out of Europe if they continue to employ under-qualified managers.

Ince is not the first man to take up a Premier League job without the licence, as Gareth Southgate took the Middlesbrough job without the qualification and Avram Grant famously took over at Chelsea without his.

Mr Roxburgh urged the Premier League and Football Association to find a solution and outlined Uefa's stance on the issue: "If a club hasn't got a licence then they cannot take part in European competition."

He claimed that it was only clubs who made requests to employ coaches at the top level who did not have their Uefa Pro Licence.

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