Coughlan and Lowe to lock horns again before joining up for coaching badge

The pair cross swords in League Two action at Home Park on Saturday before heading off to do UEFA Pro Licence coaching course together the next day.

The Pro Licence is the highest qualification in football and, in the case of Lowe and Coughlan, will see them attending England games at Euro 2020 this summer.

Lowe said: “Our first three days are Sunday, Monday, Tuesday next week. It’s a good course, it’s run properly.

“We will be taking in England games as well in June. We will be based in London.

“I suppose if you want to be the best you have got to have the best qualifications, and there are a lot of good managers and good coaches on it, so I’m looking forward to it.”

The clash between Argyle and Mansfield will be Lowe’s fourth managerial meeting with Coughlan since he was appointed as the Pilgrims’ boss last summer.

The previous three were all before Coughlan left League One outfit Bristol Rovers to take over at Mansfield just before Christmas.

The first two were at Home Park, with a 1-0 pre-season friendly defeat for Argyle in July followed by a 1-1 draw in the Leasing.com Trophy group stage at the start of September.

Argyle then drew 1-1 with Coughlan’s Rovers in the FA Cup second round at the Memorial Stadium on 1st December before he quit Rovers to join Mansfield.

Lowe said: “Graham is a good bloke. He’s a good manager and he has done an outstanding job for this football club when he was a player.

“We have got mutual respect for each other, but we are locking horns on Saturday.

“We take nothing for granted with Graham’s teams. He’s going to have them well organised, he’s looking to hopefully get a few signings in.

“We respect each other, but it’s not about me and Graham. It’s about the two teams.”

He added: “Mansfield have got some fantastic players in there and we know it’s going to be a tough encounter.

“Graham will go in there and put his stamp on it, which he already is. He will bring his own players in and keep players who he feels are right for him.

“Even though they have under-achieved, they have still got good players in there. We certainly won’t take anything for granted.”

Maynard is the Stags’ top scorer with 11 goals but Lowe said: “It’s not just Nicky Maynard is it? CJ Hamilton, Danny Rose, they have got some fantastic players.

“Maynard is obviously their leading goalscorer at the moment but they have got another 11, 12, 13 good players who can pose a threat to any team in this league.”