Blackpool boss turns to the classroom

The Blackpool boss has enrolled at Manchester Metropolitan University in order to gain a masters degree in Sporting Directorship.

Bowyer enrolled while out of work following his departure from Blackburn last November.

“It’s something that really interests me,” Bowyer said.

“You look at my time at Blackburn – I wasn’t just involved in the coaching and managing. I also found myself being involved at a higher level, working with the owners implementing a model I thought was right at the time.

“I wanted to recruit young and hungry players, develop them and hopefully get a return on the investment. And if you look at Tom Cairney, Rudy Gestede, Grant Hanley and Shane Duffy, it’s not a bad model.

“It’s something that stimulated me and eventually I think it’s something that is going to come more and more into football.

“I think there has to be somebody who sits between the manager and board level, so that they can educate the board level.”

Bowyer, who was appointed at Bloomfield Road in June, has been joined on the course by the former England, Newcastle and Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren.

McClaren revealed to the BBC that he eventually wants to run his own football club, despite admitting he still has ambitions as a manager.

The two-year part-time course, the first of its kind in the UK, also counts Lancashire cricket coach Ashley Giles among its alumni.

Former Manchester United and Everton assistant manager Steve Round, another current student, was recently appointed technical director at Aston Villa.

Bowyer added: “This course gives you an insight into yourself. We work on personal leadership and development, which hopefully I can pass on to the team and make them better.”

He is also planning for the longer term. “It’s something I like the idea of. I’m not going to spend all my time on the grass, getting soaking wet in the middle of June.

“It’s a well organised degree. It’s well run and there are good people on it – both students and teachers.

“It’s going to be intense, but when you have away trips like Yeovil and Colchester there is plenty of reading time for me.

“There is a wide variety of people on the course from different sports and already I’ve learned a lot from them.”

Bowyer is in the third intake of students, a group that also includes former England and Bolton striker Kevin Davies, England rugby union international Mark Cueto, England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley and Mike Rush, chief executive of top rugby league club St Helens.