Everton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has added a postgraduate diploma in sports directorship from the PFA Business School to his football achievements, graduating last month while continuing his Premier League commitments.
The 28-year-old scored his second goal of the season in Everton's 2-2 draw at Hull City on Sunday, heading in before setting up Thierno Barry. The strike took him into double figures since joining from Chelsea for £25 million in August last year.
Professor praises 'model student'
Kieran Maguire, Professor of Football Finance at the University of Liverpool Management School, taught Dewsbury-Hall on the course and praised his commitment. Maguire told the ECHO: "Kiernan graduated with his postgraduate diploma in sports directorship this year. It was great to see him at the Emirates Stadium as one of the people at lectures on the course."
He added: "He was a credit to himself and a credit to Everton Football Club in terms of his commitment. Footballers are fully aware of the importance of their industry to the local community and the economy as a whole."
Transition from dressing room to boardroom
Maguire noted that many players want to broaden their understanding of the football industry beyond coaching or management. "Many of them, like Kiernan, want to reinvest back by expanding their familiarity and knowledge with the back part of the industry, rather than just going into coaching or becoming a manager when their playing career finishes."
He said courses like this help players move from dressing room to classroom to boardroom, crediting the PFA for their role. "There's no doubt that the transition from dressing room to classroom to boardroom is assisted through courses such as this and the PFA deserve a lot of credit."
Team-mates also on the course
Maguire revealed that Dewsbury-Hall's Everton team-mate James Tarkowski and former Everton player Paul Bracewell have also completed these courses. He described Dewsbury-Hall as "a model student who asked the easy questions but also asked the awkward questions as well."
He added: "It's a sign of someone who is engaging with the topics and who wants to challenge themselves, expand their knowledge and have a transferable skill base, not just for the football industry but others as well. So, he's to be commended for taking the action and he's done very well."
