Premier League Stars Graduate as Qualified Sporting Directors in PFA Initiative
The scene resembles a prestigious university graduation ceremony, with caps and gowns filling the room, but those gathered are in fact Premier League and professional footballers who have won major honours across Europe and around the world.
The latest cohort of graduates from the PFA Business School includes Everton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Coventry City forward Taiwo Awoniyi, and Wycombe Wanderers defender Steve Cook, alongside former Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta.
Preparing for Life Beyond Playing
At the graduation event held at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, Azpilicueta shared how studying on the morning of the 2021 Champions League final helped him focus before captaining Chelsea to victory over Manchester City.
"Normally I'd have a nap after lunch if the game was later in the day, but that day it was impossible," Azpilicueta explained. "You could hear the fans and you knew a big game was coming up. Having my studies also helped me focus and improve myself away from football."
Azpilicueta, who completed an MBA at Harvard University during his spell at Chelsea, believes education delivers benefits immediately: "It's not only about preparing for life after football. It's about becoming a better version of yourself in your football career as well."
Defying Stereotypes
Dewsbury-Hall travelled from Merseyside to London to collect his postgraduate diploma in global football sport directorship. Despite being in prime form on the pitch, he is determined to prepare for the long term.
"I hope I've got a long time left in football. But as a person, I'm always trying to learn and develop away from the pitch. I don't want to stop playing and then just sit around doing nothing," Dewsbury-Hall said. "Obviously there are stereotypes around footballers. But in every industry there are smart people and there are people who aren't so smart. You'd be surprised how many intelligent people there are in football."
Awoniyi, who now holds three qualifications including a business management degree, made a commitment early in life to maintain his education alongside his sporting dreams.
"I always felt education was important. It was a promise I made to my dad that if I played football, I would keep studying," Awoniyi stated. "It's not like a 9-5 job in football. We go in and sometimes finish quite early and, although it's challenging, I think every footballer has time in the evening for something like this business school."
Building the Next Generation of Football Executives
The PFA Business School's curriculum is tailored to run alongside the demands of professional football schedules, featuring guest sessions from prominent figures such as Brighton chief executive Paul Barber to provide deep operational insight.
For veterans like Steve Cook, who previously captained Bournemouth in the top flight, the course represents an entry point into executive administration after already acquiring coaching qualifications. With players continuing to expand their skill sets, many of today's stars appear poised to take executive roles across the football pyramid in the years ahead.