Do former athletes make the best coaches?
Do those who have been successful playing sport at the highest level make the best coaches?
It's a question many football fans have been asking since Newcastle appointed Alan Shearer as manager.
We also discussed the matter/issue on ´óÏó´«Ã½ 5 Live's London Calling programme last month, particularly in relation to Charles van Commenee, the new head coach of UK Athletics who was forced to end his competitive career at the age of 18 because of injury.
Just because you are good at sport doesn't mean you will be good at teaching it. Yes, you can have a sound knowledge base from what you have learnt from your own coaches but, when it comes to being a successful coach, ex-athletes run the risk of flying by their reputation rather than the knowledge they have.
I'm Katharine Merry, former world 400m number one and an Olympic bronze medallist at Sydney 2000. I'm now a mentor to junior athletes as well as working in radio and TV, and as a trackside presenter at major events. I'll be aiming to give you a behind-the-scenes insight to the world of athletics.
