By Mark McCadden

Copyright irishmirror

Shelbourne manager Joey O’Brien will be hitting the books during the Reds’ historic Europa Conference League campaign – as he is part of the FAI’s 2025/26 UEFA Pro Licence course.

O’Brien is one of six former Ireland internationals on the programme, with Wexford boss and former Sunderland striker Stephen Elliott also going for the top coaching qualification.

As too are two current League One managers, Barnsley’s Conor Hourihane and Reading chief Noel Hunt.

Hourihane was capped 36 times and Hunt three, and both are managing at opposite ends of the table, with Barnsley third after seven games, a point off the top, and Reading fourth from bottom.

Former Coventry and Sheffield United midfielder Michael Doyle, who was capped in a 2004 friendly win against the Netherlands in Amsterdam, is also on the course. His first spell in management, with National League side Woking, came to an end last December.

Marie Hourihane, capped 24 times at senior level and currently in charge at Plymouth Argyle in the FA Women’s National League South makes up the half-dozen former internationals.

In total, 14 coaches have made it onto the course, with Dundalk boss Ciaran Kilduff also looking to complete his UEFA qualification.

The course runs for 18 months and already the candidates have held a roundtable with current Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson, his number two John O’Shea, former Boys in Green boss Stephen Kenny, and Alan Reynolds (Bohemians), Kevin Doherty (Drogheda United) and John Caulfield (Galway United).

Niall O’Regan, FAI Head of Education and Development, said: “It was fantastic to welcome our latest UEFA Pro Licence cohort for their first block of sessions.

“This course is designed to develop expertise through mentorship from subject matter experts in areas like sports psychology, communication, and transformational leadership.

“We also aim to challenge the group and take them out of their comfort zones, through unique experiences provided by the Defence Forces.

“Welcoming Heimir, John, and a number of top League of Ireland managers allowed for some excellent football discussions, a collaborative element I am looking forward to continuing throughout the course.”

Craig Sexton, FAI Coach Development Manager, said: “This is an exciting time to showcase our new approach to coach development, putting a spotlight on these key learning areas while working within the UEFA Coaching Convention framework.

“It is a really exciting and diverse group that has come through the robust application process, and we look forward to both challenging and supporting them on their development journey over the next 18 months.”

Full 2025-26 UEFA Pro Licence Cohort

Ciaran Kilduff, Joey O’Brien, Marie Hourihan, Stephen Elliott, Michael Doyle, Rene Gilmartin, Shane Robinson, Jason McGuinness, Michael Hefele, Conor Hourihane, Noel Hunt, Chelsea Noonan, Jack Cassidy, Sean O’Connor.