Sir Clive Woodward Rejected FA Position

Former England and British Lions rugby coach Sir Clive Woodward has told the BBC how he turned down an offer of a high ranking position within the FA after his World Cup victory with England in 2003. Shamed former FA chief executive Mark Palios had spoken to him at the time about the senior position.

“I met him (Palios) on a couple of occasions,” Woodward said.

“All I said was…I wanted to get far more hands-on experience with a football team and do some coaching.”

“It’s a job I’d very much like to do, but I wouldn’t want to do it immediately.

“I’d just come from a successful rugby union World Cup-winning campaign. I’d rather spend at least a year, or a couple of years, working with a club and doing all my coaching badges.”

Woodward took over as Southampton Director of Football late last year, moving up from his position of performance director after only four months at the club. He is about to start a course to gain his Uefa A, or level four, coaching badge, having already passed levels two and three. If he passes that he will then only need to gain the Uefa Pro Licence in order to be qualified to become a Premiership boss which is his ultimate aim in around 18 months time.

He said, “It’s been fascinating going back and doing a coaching course. Any guy who wants to become a top manager has to go for those badges.

“If it goes well, it’s probably a year and a half, two years, before you’re fully qualified as a professional football coach, which is something I want to do.

“I feel I would be a far better rugby union coach after having six months working in another sport and listening to other ideas. It is good to get a break.”