Understanding CAF Coaching Courses and Grading

Ahead of the forthcoming 2016-17 campaign, the minimum requirement for a coach and his assistant in the Uganda Premier League will be CAF ‘B’.

This is a regulation by the custodians of the game, the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) have set in a bid to improve the standards of the game.

This regulation is set affect a few clubs and personnel in particular with Express and Wasswa Bbosa, the chief culprits as it bars him from sitting on the bench on match days.

For starters, for one to start coaching, he must take up a beginners’ coaching course.

Beginners’ Coaching Course

According to the rules, this is the first course any one aspiring to be a coach should commence with.

It’s a one week course organised by the Federation and is conducted in local language (suitable for the participants) and the official language of the country, in particular English.

After completion, one is required to practice as a coach for at least one year before embarking on FUFA level One coaching course.

FUFA level One Coaching Course

This is the second level of coaching and it’s also handled by the local FA. Its two weeks long and conducted in an official language of the country (English) and very little, local dialect.

A participant is required to practice for at least a year before embarking on another coaching course which is CAF C.

CAF C Coaching Course

Unlike the previous two, this is conducted under the supervision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

It’s a two weeks’ coach and participants who gain the credentials must practice for at least two years before going for CAF B.

The case in point is Express’ Wasswa Bbosa who currently holds CAF C but has to wait till January when the two years’ practice expires.

And in his case, he can be exonerated and sits on the bench for the first half of the 2016-17 UPL season until January when the course begins.

But that’s subject to his club officially putting this in writing to the Federation with an assuredness Bbosa will study.

CAF B Coaching Course

This is the second highest level coaching courses as per CAF and is undertaken for two weeks under a certified CAF and FIFA instructor.

What is special about this is that each day out of the two weeks, participants study for eight hours each day.

After successful completion, one is required to practice for at least a year before undertaking CAF A.

CAF A Coaching Course

This is the highest level of coaching license attainable on the continent. It’s the longest in terms of studying and it’s conducted for a month.

However, it’s divided in two weeks known as Modules One (First Week) and Modules Two (Second Week).

In accordance with CAF, only ‘A’ license holders are required to handle proceedings in CAF competitions – CAF Confederations Cup and CAF Champions League.

A case in point was evidence at SC Villa last season as they battle in the second club tier competition in Africa.

Ibrahim Kirya was Head Coach for the Jogoos but continent wise, it was Frank ‘Video’ Anyau who was required to act as in his position throwing away his Technical Director slot.