As an MSc Football Coaching & Analysis (Blended) student, Anthony Collins has recently secured a full-time role as Football and Education Coach at Birmingham City FC. While he admits balancing this with his part-time Master’s programme at GIS is challenging, he’s certain that the degree helped him land the job of his dreams.

Here, Anthony reveals how he allocates his time and how a blended degree really is the best of both…

Congratulations on your new role at Birmingham City FC! Tell us about the role and what you get up to.

My role is a Football and Education Coach, working with the 16-19 programme, coaching three days a week with one matchday at Wast Hills, the training ground of the first team and the academy. I am also under 16’s coach for the development teams at the club alongside working on professional development centres.

What have you brought into the role from your MSc Football Coaching & Analysis programme?

I have brought in a lot that I didn’t expect to. Next year, I’m hoping to bring in some more analysis experience within the football & education programme alongside the development teams. The experience of the Etihad residential weeks, as part of my part-time degree, has also allowed me to bring in experiences I’ve seen from other places into my role.

You’ve also worked as a coach at West Brom alongside your Master’s degree. Tell us about this role and what you learnt during your time there.

At West Brom I worked alongside Premier League Kicks and in the girl’s development team, coaching the under 16’s team. This is where I got to put a lot of my analysis work to good use. Alongside the theory of reflection and coaching philosophy, I learnt a lot about myself during my time there, especially how I want to coach and what I want to coach. This then led to me getting a role at Aston Villa for 10 months before my new role at Birmingham City. This also helped me to learn a lot again, including what I want to do in my future.

How have you found balancing studying for a Master’s and working in coaching?

It does take some getting used to, especially when working full-time, but it’s worth it. I had to plan when to do the work and keep a diary/tracker to keep up to date with it all, but what helps is when the modules also help with your job, so you know the lectures and work will be beneficial into where you want to go and what you want to do.

What has been your favourite course module so far and why?

I enjoyed the analysis modules very much as it is something I want to do in my future, especially when we made a team using statistics - that was fun! But my favourite has been the game model we completed most recently, I learnt so much on how football clubs run and how we should be setting up as a coach. The residential was also very fun, with meeting new people and seeing professional football environments.

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

I just want to be happy, working full-time in a football environment. Whether it be analysis, community and development or even the elite game, I just want to enjoy it and put what I have learnt to good use.

What advice do you have for any aspiring coaches looking to study at GIS?

Just do it! Grasp every opportunity it gives and offers; there’s so many chances and it will only be beneficial for you and your career. Everyone is willing to help and that’s all you want as a coach.