Published: Thursday, 19th November, 2009 2:00pm

Place works towards his UEFA Pro License

Ex-Ireland internationals Packie Bonner and Jeff Kenna were among those who last week oversaw Athlone Town's last official training session of the year on a foggy Tuesday night in Lissywollen.

Kenna, Harry McCue and Bobby Browne were the ex-League of Ireland managers who were present at the session because they - along with Town manager Brendan Place - are currently working towards the completion of the UEFA Pro Licence for coaches.

The course is supervised by Packie Bonner, and Place explained that his own preparations for Athlone Town's final league game of the season, a 3-2 win away to Sporting Fingal, were assessed as one of the requirements towards the achievement of the Pro Licence.

"For each of the coaches working towards the Pro Licence, the group comes in and analyses a particular game; how you prepared the team to win it, and how you set out to achieve your objectives," he said. "It's designed to provide you with the proper methodology and formula when it comes to preparing for big matches."

The Pro Licence course, which is for coaches and managers who have already qualified for the UEFA 'A' coaching badge, began last March and will not be completed until the summer of next year.

Place stated that the course covers all aspects of management at a football club and he has found the experience of working with other coaches beneficial.

"I would always have an open mind when it comes to hearing suggestions and tips for improvement from other people. I think the day you close your mind and stop listening to people is the day you start to go backwards as a coach," he said.

Place's Athlone Town players will be following a regime of strength and aerobic training over the close season in order to prepare them for the 2010 league campaign.

"When I was a player, the season would end and you wouldn't have any training for seven or eights weeks, but those days are gone," the manager said. "After a break of maybe 10-14 days the players will be doing some strength training exercises and aerobic work. If you haven't done any training then when you come back in the new year you're going to have a greater chance of picking up a hamstring stain or some other injury.

"Doing this type of work over the close season is quite common across Europe. We're just trying to keep things as professional as possible and give ourselves a good chance of coming out of the blocks quickly when the new season begins."

The Town manager has held talks with a number of players in recent days and said he should be in a position to announce some new signings in the near future.