STEPHEN Purches admits he has no immediate plans to stand on his own two feet in management – but knows he must be fully prepared to one day go it alone.

Purches, who heads up Cherries’ under-21 squad, is this month due to start his UEFA Pro Licence, the mandatory qualification for all managers who wish to work in the Premier League.

He will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of boss Eddie Howe and assistant Jason Tindall, who both hold the most prestigious coaching certificate in Europe.

Purches, elevated permanently to Howe’s backroom staff following his retirement in May 2014, will spend 18 months working towards the qualification.

Howe recently said he saw Purches as a future manager, describing him as “an outstanding young coach with all the right ingredients”.

Purches, who already holds the UEFA A coaching licence, is one of Cherries’ all-time leading appearance-makers and was rewarded for his loyalty to the club with a testimonial year in 2013.

Asked by the Daily Echo whether he wished to pursue a career in management, Purches said: “In football, you never know what’s round the corner.

“I have to make sure I can gain as much experience as I can from everyone I work with here and by doing these courses.

“I am not in any rush. I am here to make sure I develop and learn, not only myself but the players as well.

“I am in a great place, at a very progressive club and I work with some of the best young coaches in the game.

“I love what I am doing and just want to make sure, like I have throughout my career, that I am as prepared as possible because, week to week, things can change so quickly in this game.”

Purches, who first joined Cherries in 2000 and had two playing spells at Dean Court, added: “This is the final badge for me with regards to my coaching.

“The process is ongoing and you never stop learning. I just felt it was the right time to try to get on the course and was pleased to get through the selection procedure.

“It is elite level one and I need to make sure I am ready for it because there will be a lot of hard work. It should help me build up my contacts and I will be able to learn from other experienced managers on the course.

“It is more to do with the management side and dealing with the day-to-day running of a club. You get to learn about the different pressures that maybe come with it. I am going to gain a lot of experience and am really looking forward to getting started.”

Outlining the UEFA Pro Licence, an article on the FA website reads: “The course has been designed using a competency-based approach, combining distance learning and club visits to support and enhance it. It includes a mixture of theory and practical-based delivery using the latest technology and facilities at St George’s Park.”