Burnley’s Kyle Walker has opened up on his ambition to “emulate” former boss Pep Guardiola as he takes the first steps in his coaching career.Read MoreBurnley man makes return from injury ahead of crunch World Cup deciderThe 35-year-old has started work on his UEFA B license, taking his coaching badges with the help of the PFA.As part of the learning journey, Walker is currently training some of Burnley’s youngsters alongside fellow veteran Ashley Barnes.While the defender isn’t ready to hang up the boots just yet, he’s keen to lay the right foundations for when the time does arrive.“As a footballer, you're always planning for the next chapter in your career and I think that this is just a string to my bow that I can obviously go into when that time comes that I'm going to put an end to it,” he told the PFA.“I'd say in the last couple of years it's definitely come into my head, especially having the pleasure of working with the manager that I was under for so many years [Pep Guardiola].“It just makes you appreciate just how much of a genius he is and hopefully one day I can maybe emulate him.”Walker pictured with former Man City boss Pep Guardiola in 2024 (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)While Guardiola is the obvious influence for Walker, he’s not the only one - with the England international also taking learnings from a manager on the other end of the spectrum.“Say it's your Dad raising you as a child. You base [your parenting] on that, but you don't take everything that you did from your Dad,” he added.“I think that's what I'm trying to do with each and every manager that I've had and I've had some very different ones, I can assure you of that.The Burnley Express has launched a new WhatsApp channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates directly to your phone. Simply click this link to join our Burnley Express WhatsApp channel.“From Pep to Neil Warnock, let's say, two completely different managers. But two that are very good in their own right.“Neil was unbelievable with player management, unbelievable. He got the best out of the players and made you feel like you were a million dollars walking onto the pitch.“Whereas Pep was very detailed in his preparation and what he wanted to do and made sure we took it upon ourselves to make sure that we executed it as best as possible.”Whether it’s the number one, number two of a first-team coach, Walker has yet to make his mind up on what his future looks like.Expanding on his coaching objectives, the right-back said: “It's more to help the next generation.“I think in this country now, we've been blessed to have these managers come over to England and manage over here.“I think the standard of players that we're nurturing through the systems is getting better and better. I would like to help that next generation and pass on my knowledge that I've lived it, experienced it, dreamed it, smelt it, whatever you want to say.“I've done it, and I think as much as other players or other non-playing coaching staff have come into it, no one can really give you an insight to the players themselves rather than them doing it, if that makes sense.“So I kind of want to give back in that way, but I don't know if I'll become a manager or an assistant. I still like the banter with the lads, so I don't think if I was a manager I could be that banter with the lads.“So maybe assistant might be some sort of role that I'll probably take up as well.”Continue Reading