Alan Shearer is the latest graduate from the Level 3 coaching award

He has scored 267 league goals, won 63 caps for his country and is the most complete English forward of his generation, but Alan Shearer won't be asking for any favours in the coaching world. He is the latest graduate from the Level 3 coaching award after undertaking one of the new flexible courses provided by the PFA. Ian Clarkson caught up with the Newcastle star for another EXCLUSIVE givemefootball interview...

What did the course entail?

It was a 12-month course. Gary Speed, a couple of young professionals and I started it last year and we spent three to four hours every Monday afternoon at Newcastle United's training ground working with Joe Joyce from the PFA. We were fortunate because the club let us use the facilities and we were also able to use players from the Academy for our sessions.

Even with all your experience, has this coaching course opened your eyes?

It has most definitely opened my eyes. It teaches you about organisation and how to conquer your nerves and have the confidence to put sessions across. Because it went on for a year you became progressively better every time you put a session on.

What did you learn?

I have seen most of the sessions before during my career but it is the organisational side of things that I found most valuable. Joe Joyce was also excellent in his presentation skills.

Why did you choose to undertake this particular course?

The thought of attending a residential course after a long, hard season didn't really appeal to me if I am honest. When the PFA said that I could attend this flexible course I was delighted to go along. I know Joe has done something similar at Manchester Untied.

It would have been easy to trade on your name and not bother doing any courses, wouldn't it?

If you are going to do something then I am a great believer in doing it right. You also need to have all of these qualifications if you want to move into coaching or management now, so you have to make the commitment. We had Monday afternoons spare virtually all season, so it was no hardship to commit three or four hours of your time.

What appeals to you more - coaching, management or the media?

The management side of things interests me more than the coaching aspect of football. However, you learn plenty of attributes that will help you as a manager on this course. Whether I decide to go into the media or coaching, this qualification won't do me any harm at all.

So you haven't had any second thoughts about retiring at the end of the season then?

No. I will definitely be retiring at the end of the season - that is official.