Former Aston Villa and Chelsea star Kenny Swain has been drafted in to help improve the standard of soccer coaching in Bermuda, writes Matt Westcott.

Swain, also the manager of First Division Grimsby Town before joining up with the English Football Association, is overseeing a nine day course at Saltus School.

The ex-Portsmouth and Nottingham Forest player is working in tandem with the Bermuda Football Association's Jon Beard and Kenny Thompson to teach the course, which is equivalent to the UEFA B coaching licence.

Many of the Island's soccer coaches are taking part in the sessions which are held for between ten and 12 hours each day.

It is hoped that by the end of the course, Beard will be qualified to teach coaches here on the Island, rather than have them go abroad, thus saving on both time and money.

“The remit is to conduct an international course for the Bermuda FA and mentor Jon Beard so that from here on in he will be able to conduct the course on the behalf of the Bermuda FA,” said Swain.

“There is some practical work and a lot of theory or modules to conduct. Some of them are football related, ie. match analysis, fitness, food and laws of the game and then their are other aspects such as moral issues, attitudes and ethics, growing up and drugs in the game and youngsters in football.”

Swain said he was learning as much as the Islanders.

“This is my very first course abroad, so in many ways it's very much an inaugural one, both for myself, Jon Beard and the Bermudian FA,” he said. “The (English) FA have done lots over the years, but I have not undertaken one. I am just hoping it goes well and the candidates and Bermudian FA all benefit.”