Phil Jones graduates! Ex-Man Utd defender honoured at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium after completing sport directorship degree in bid to start new career

The ex-England international picked up his diploma on Tuesday as part of the PFA Business School programme, joining fellow graduates Yoane Wissa and Ilkay Gündogan. For a man once tipped for greatness before injuries crushed his progress, the diploma marks a fresh start.

Standing proudly at the ceremony, the Lancashire-born defender said: "It’s a proud moment for me to graduate today. This is something I decided I wanted to do when I retired. I’ve really enjoyed it, it’s been a good networking opportunity as well as an educational one, and I’m really excited about what doors it opens up in the future.

"When I finished playing, I asked myself: ‘Well, what do I do now?’. I like the coaching side of the game, and I’m still really ambitious about that, but I needed something else as well. This gave me a focus which is what I needed at the time. I reached out to the PFA when I heard about the course and it’s something that I was passionate about doing; something I could get my teeth into. The technical aspects of the sporting directorship role I really admire, and maybe in the future it’s a role that I’d like to fill."

Even before calling time on his playing days, Jones had started laying the foundations for his second career. Since the 2023-24 season, he’s been working with Manchester United’s Under-18s, helping guide the next generation through the academy.

"It’s something they allow me to do and what I wanted to do, to broaden my horizon on the coaching side of things and see how they do things," he said. "I feel like I’m in a position now where I’m ready for a challenge."

Jones is also pursuing his UEFA Pro Licence, the highest coaching qualification available in Europe, which could eventually see him take a dugout role. The plan is clear: Jones wants to be armed with every possible qualification, whether it leads him into management, talent development, or the director’s office.