Charlton Athletic assistant boss Johnnie Jackson completes UEFA pro license
Charlton Athletic assistant manager Johnnie Jackson has completed his UEFA pro license – the highest certification in the coaching ladder.
The course is 18 months long and is delivered by the FA across nine modules of a blend of face-to-face learning at St George’s Park and independent study.
“I’m really pleased, it’s been a long process,” said Jackson.
“A lot of hard work has gone into it, so to finally get the certificate and have your pro license is a big achievement. It’s the highest coaching accolade you can get, so I’m really pleased to get it over the line.
“It’s level five, it’s the culmination. You do your level two when you’re an apprentice. You move through the stages, level three is B, then A and then to get on the pro license you have to have finished playing.
“You have to be working within a professional environment and you have to go through a rigorous process just to get on to the course. Even to get on it is a big achievement.
“It’s a lot of hard work and dedication that you have to put into it, whilst you’re doing your day job as well. It’s a long journey, a long road. I remember doing my level two when I was an apprentice at Spurs, so to finally have the level five is a real long journey.
“You form a real close bond with the group because you’re on the same journey together. It’s an 18-month course and you spend a lot of time together. We were a bit unlucky with covid, because we had to do a few of the modules remotely. We were unable to meet up all of the time so we missed out a little bit there just being together face-to-face. But we managed to do it for the first couple of modules and the last couple of modules.
“You form a tight bond because you spend a lot of time together, you’re going through the same thing and there’s people that you meet along the way like Chris [Perry]. I played with Chris at Spurs and I’ve known him for many years, and other people that you come across throughout the game that you get really close with.”
Jackson took caretaker charge for Charlton’s 3-2 win against Bristol Rovers back in March after Lee Bowyer left the club and has aspirations to become a manager himself one day.
“I just want to try and arm myself with as much knowledge and qualifications as I can. Hopefully one day I’m in a position where an opportunity comes along and I’m well prepared. That’s what I want to do, I don’t want to go into it and not be ready and then come out of it.
“Once I do go into it and I’m given the opportunity I want to stay there and I want to go to the top and do it as high up as I can. I just think arming yourself with as much knowledge and qualifications is what you need to do.”
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