Manchester United former player Phil Jones recently graduated from the English Professional Players Association (PFA) Business School and received his diploma in sports directorship, and he talked about his feelings.
Jones said while receiving his diploma: "Today's graduation is a proud moment for me, and it's something I decided to accomplish when I retire. The course is both educational and social opportunities. I enjoy the process very much and I am full of expectations for new opportunities that may open in the future."
"I asked myself when I ended my career as a player, 'What should I do now?'. I love coaching and still have ambitions for it, but at the same time I need other directions. This course just happens to be It gave me the focus that I needed the most at the time. "
" After learning about the course, I took the initiative to contact PFA. This is an area I really longed to invest in and can allow me to study it wholeheartedly. The technical level required for the position of sports director is something I admire. Perhaps this is the role I want to play in the future. Long before officially retired, Jones had begun to plan the future. The injury-ridden defender has worked for Manchester United's U18 youth team since the 2023-24 season. In addition to his PFA diploma, he is also studying for the UEFA Professional Coaching Certificate.
Talking about staying busy after retirement, Jones said earlier this year: "When you stay at home all day, your wife will stare at you and think: 'What are the arrangements today?'. We have long been used to running around and continuously training games, and the transformation is actually very difficult."
"Modern players are like robots, constantly switching buses, flights, games and training... The first few weeks were very comfortable, but they quickly became idle. This is why I chose the director route, which allowed me to find a new focus in the field of football. My foundation has always been on the green field, and that is where my true passion lies."
Regarding work at Manchester United's U18, he added: "The club gave me this opportunity, and I also hope to broaden my coach's horizons and learn how they operate. Now I feel like I am ready to meet new challenges."
After retiring, Jones was also involved in commentary work. The Premier League champion once appeared on the BBC program and recently commented on Sky Sports' League Cup match that Manchester United lost to Greensby.