Football coaches train with army in FAW Pro Licence course

A group of current and former footballers, including ex-Arsenal captain Aaron Ramsey and former Chelsea goalkeeper Willy Caballero, have taken part in a two-day military training exercise in Herefordshire as part of the Football Association of Wales' (FAW) Uefa Pro Licence course – the highest coaching qualification in the game.

The course, which has been described as the 'Harvard of football coaching', also includes Peterborough United manager Luke Williams, Colwyn Bay boss Michael Wilde, former US and Roma midfielder Michael Bradley, Champions League winner Florent Malouda, and Wales international Will Vaulks. Notably, former US international Ella Masar is participating while 36 weeks pregnant.

What the course involves

During the exercise, coaches were tasked with responding to a simulated casualty scenario involving a former soldier-actor with a prosthetic bloodied leg, and an ambush rescue mission where they had to extract a hostage while fending off armed enemies using paintball guns. The FAW Pro Licence has earned a global reputation, counting Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta among its graduates.

• Participants applied tourniquets and comforted casualties in realistic medical drills.
• The ambush exercise required navigating a forest and protecting a hostage from simulated enemies.
• The course is internationally respected, with current and former top-level players attending from various leagues.
• Several participants have already completed lower-level FAW coaching badges before pursuing the Pro Licence.

The FAW's coach education program continues to attract elite talent from around the world, and this military partnership is designed to build leadership, resilience, and decision-making under pressure – skills directly transferable to managing a football team.