Time has moved on swiftly enough that we’re now seeing players who starred for Celtic during the 2010s take the next step of their footballing careers as coaches.
We got a taste of that over the last couple of years as Scott Brown launched into his first management job at Fleetwood Town, but we’re about to see a whole host of former Bhoys heroes from that era fill dugouts across Scotland, England and beyond.
Brown, now Ayr United manager, is embarking on a new phase of his journey as part of the Scottish FA’s much-heralded and pretty exclusive UEFA Pro-Licence course, which attracts coaches from all over the world.
And he’ll be joined by two former Celtic pals – Charlie Mulgrew and Jonny Hayes – both of whom have been announced as part of this year’s class of 20.
Also included is Southampton U21s head coach Adam Ashgar, who is reported to be a frontrunner to become U18s head coach at the Bhoys.
How the UEFA Pro-Licence works
The Scottish FA already had an intake of 20 students in 2023, who are working towards qualifying in 2025, but have been permitted by UEFA to run a second course concurrently due to high demand.
The UEFA Pro-Licence is the highest coaching qualification available in Europe and will prepare graduates for a career working at the elite level.
It’s a two-year long course consisting of a minimum of 360 hours of education, plus study visits. A minimum of 140 hours is spent studying theory off the pitch, with a minimum of 220 hours, including work experience, spent on the pitch.
What’s next for Celtic’s UEFA Pro contenders
Brown will be eager to make an impact with Ayr in the Scottish Championship next season after arriving partway through the 2023/24 campaign.
Jonny Hayes has been registered as a player at Aberdeen as recently as the season just passed but has also been doing youth coaching at the Dons. He’s expected to officially retire to focus on his coaching work.
Mulgrew also has coaching experience, working in a hybrid role during his stint at Dundee United.
Alongside the aforementioned Ashgar, both Hayes and Mulgrew have been linked with the U18s post at Celtic, so they are seeking jobs to develop their skills.
The best of luck to all on completing the course!