Ashley Giles Heads Back To School

A host of household names from the world of sport, including former England cricket star Ashley Giles, are heading back to the classroom in a bid to secure a Masters Degree in Sporting Directorship.

Giles, who received an MBE for his role in the 2005 Ashes winning squad, has more recently been involved in the international coaching setup for England – and now plans to further develop his personal management skills and knowledge on the Manchester based programme, which launched in May.

The role of the sporting director is increasing in popularity in the UK and its importance amongst cricket clubs and governing bodies is growing.

As the game continues its commercial growth, the director of cricket is the ideal method for linking the tactical, playing side of the game with the revenue streams and business opportunities that modern cricket attracts.

Not confined to cricket, research recently commissioned by the League Managers’ Association confirmed that football club owners across Europe are favouring a restructure of the traditional manager’s role and introducing an all-powerful sporting director to whom the first team coach reports.

Manchester Metropolitan University, in partnership with privately owned sports investment company VSI, have launched the course that will see their alumni be the first port of call with chief executives and owners across multiple sports, including cricket, as they look to revolutionise their corporate structure

Ashley Giles said: ‘This course is the first of its kind and I’m thrilled to be involved. The MSD will give me a greater understanding of a role I’m already passionate about and provide me with a broader set of skills and competencies to be an effective sporting director. I’ve been involved in cricket at every level over the last 20 years and I’m excited to begin this next phase of my career.’

VSI Director Tony Faulkner at VSI added: ‘It’s great to have Ashley as part of the first group of MSD students. He has a wealth of experience in Cricket and coupled with the tools that the course provides will stand him in good stead as he furthers his career within the sport. The course is designed to cater specifically for ex-professionals and current industry figures, so we’re confident that Ashley will find the course extremely beneficial.’

Interested applicants in the two-year qualification can find out more at www.sportingdirectorship.com.