Lee Bullock column
I’ve gone from one training pitch now our season’s over and straight on to another.
I’m currently halfway through a fortnight’s course in Manchester towards the UEFA B coaching badge.
It’s a part of the game I’ve got more interested in as I’ve got older – but it doesn’t automatically mean I want to be the next manager of Bradford City!
You need the basic qualifications to be able to coach with schools of excellence or at colleges and universities. Standards of coaching are getting higher and higher and it’s amazing how much you learn.
It looks easy when you’re standing on the side of the pitch and somebody’s pointing everything out. But then you have to take a session in the middle and everything’s a lot different.
There are so many things going on all at once and you need eyes in the back of your head. But it’s good to learn all the principles behind the training drills.
There are 23 lads from all walks of life doing the badge. We’ve got a few older pros like me, young ones just starting out and some who already work in schools and community courses.
It’s all practice at the moment but it’s quite intensive. I don’t think I’ve written this much in a classroom since I was at school.
The course is taking place at Curzon Ashton in Manchester, so I’ve been staying at Peter Thorne’s house to cut down on the travelling. Thorney’s doing fine but he spends more time in Portugal now than here – I had to drop him at the airport the other day.
This is my last column of what has been a nightmare season, so I’d just like to pass on my appreciation to the fans.
The loyalty shown by the crowd has been unbelievable and I couldn’t believe how many stayed behind after what happened last week. We didn’t deserve that.
I just wish we could see the day when Bradford are celebrating something because that will be unreal.
You look at the support we get when it’s been this bad. Just imagine what it would be like if the club can finally turn things round.
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