Victor Wanyama: Which European Teams Can Ex-Harambee Stars Skipper Coach with His UEFA ‘B’ License?

Victor Wanyama confirmed recently that he is due to get his UEFA ‘A’ Coaching License as he prepares for a career in the dugout after a highly-successful playing stint.

Wanyama, who retired from playing last month, has been preparing for life after football and by the time he called it quits, he already had his UEFA ‘B’ License.

The former Harambee Stars captain expressed his desire to start his coaching journey at Scottish giants Celtic, the club that put him on the global map, when he played for them between 2011 and 2013.

But as Wanyama prepares to sit for his UEFA ’A’ Coaching License exams soon, what can he do with the certificate that he already has?

For starters, UEFA has various coaching diplomas that prepare candidates to work from grassroots to elite football. The lowest qualification is a UEFA ‘C’ coaching diploma acquired after 60 hours of education for which “participants will learn to provide a positive developmental experience that enhances players’ enjoyment, knowledge, and skill, inspiring a lifelong desire to play football and stay involved in the game.”

The second qualification is the UEFA ‘B License whose participants must have a valid UEFA ‘C’ license, having completed a minimum of six months’ coaching experience by the ‘B’ diploma course start date.

“On this course, participants will learn age-and ability-specific coaching techniques to develop players at youth through to senior amateur level,” UEFA states on its website.

“This involves managing all aspects of improving individual and team performance, as well as working with support staff, evaluating, analysing and providing feedback on training and match performance.”

This is the qualification Wanyama has already attained and with this, the former Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder is only limited to roles as head coach of senior amateur sides, like fifth-tier clubs in Europe, head coach of youth teams up to age 1 6 as well as girls and women’s teams outside professional leagues.

He can be part of the technical bench of elite/professional teams in Europe but can only serve as assistant coach.

This is more or less the same coaching environment Wanyama will be allowed in once he completes his UEFA ‘A’ License, the only exception being that he can be head coach of top flight women’s team’s Europe and handle youth teams up to U18 and U19 level.

The 34-year-old has already admitted that he is ready to work his way up by cutting his teeth at academy level and he has the qualifications for this but if he dreams of handling a top flight team in Europe, then he must acquire the UEFA Pro License, which is the highest coaching qualification on the continent.