http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/29795764. Zidane suspended for three months for a violation involving Madrid's B team. I wonder where we stand?
Given the length of time Garry has been in charge and the high profile nature of the Premier League, if Monk was illegally in charge, I'd have thought he'd have been banned by now. Zidane took charge of one lower league side game and has straight away been issued with a ban. If it's possible for a ban to be issued that quickly, I'd assume that either Monk has achieved all the necessary qualifications, or the relevant authorities are at least happy with the situation that he is studying while working.
Monk was on a course in the Summer so maybe he's got the qualification. Either that or been given dispensation by the authorities. As BK says I can't imagine he'd be in charge without either.
From research I did on this a few months ago, I think this (http://www.premierleague.com/conten.../publications/other/uefa-licensing-manual.pdf) is the operative manual. Page 26 covers the requirements of head coach.
Rule Q6: "No Club shall employ any person as a Manager who does not hold the qualifications required"
In order to be a football manager in the top divisions of countries like Spain, Italy, Germany and France, coaches must have the Uefa Pro Licence qualification. In England, special dispensations have been given in the past to new, or young up and coming managers in the Premier league. The Premier League only signed up to Uefa's coaching rules in 2003 and English football has been playing catch up since. Coaches on the continent tend to do the Pro Licence before they manage in their respective top divisions but in England the FA has had to tailor the qualification to suit managers already plying their trade in the Premiership in the past. But any coach hoping to manage in the Premiership after 2010 must have the Pro Licence. While all British coaches have now passed the Pro Licence, the more established coaches such as Harry Redknapp or Sir Alex Ferguson, have been awarded an FA coaching diploma to recognise their experience...............
I think Monk was on the same FAW, UEFA Pro Licence course as Craig Bellamy and Jayne Ludlow; legend in Women's football, last year if memory serves.
Can't help but feel that, while it's an interesting story about Zidane, we're not really debating anything currently relevant to Swansea City. Maybe back in February when he was appointed, this would have been relevant. But it's been well documented that there is a period of dispensation awarded to managers who don't yet possess their Pro Licence, and that Monk was going to be obtaining his badges in the summer. Given the amount of press about Monk's lack of coaching badges last season, and given the fact that Monk has been the spotlight of the media for his outbursts last week, and given that Swansea are pretty high up in the table right now, I would take a guess that if the FA knew that Monk was not a legal manager they could and would have done something about it by now. Back to the original story - It's unfortunate for Zidane. Will keep an eye on how it develops to see whether Real manage to overturn it. They seem pretty adamant that there's no offence.
