Black Managers, and lack of. What's wrong?

[GingerBeerMan]

Twenty years ago, what was the % of black players in the football league? Most managers tend to be ex-players. Those near the top tend to have 10 - 15 years experience. You could reason the demographic of managers right now is a lag of the demographic of football players 10 - 15 years ago. As we see more black people playing football, the rate of black managers will rise. In 20 years I don't think it'll be unusual at all.

 

[Tooting Gull]

This. Annoys me Jason Roberts constantly plays the race card all of the time. Seems he is happy making a very nice living in the 'racism in football' industry rather than do his coaching badges. Plenty of black managers have had high profile managerial positions, Ruud Gullitt, John Barnes, Jean Tigana,Frank Rijkaard, Chris Hughton, Paul Ince. In fact Paul Ince has had numerous managerial positions and failed in most of them (with the exception of Macclesfield and MK Dons first time around).

Chairmen are (mostly) pragmatists and will usually appoint the guy who thinks will do the best job for the club regardless of colour, I can guarantee if there was a black manager carving out a reputation for himself in the championship at present (say one with a promotion on his managerial C.V.) he would be on the shortlist for a PL job should it become available.

No doubt the ridiculous 'Rooney rule' will soon be forced upon the English league clubs which to me is highly patronising to ethnic minority
managers as its a case of 'we dont think you are the right candidate for us but we are being forced to interview you.' Why should clubs be forced to interview a candidate just to keep the PC brigade happy? For example when Manchester United sacked Moyes it was 'made known' to the media very early on that LVG which the man they had identified to take over. Why should they go through the charade of interviewing a black candidate wasting both their time and the 'candidates?'

I'm for a meritocracy and I believe the best candidate should be appointed regardless of skin colour but spare us the race card if you are not successful and maybe look at your own short comings and try and address them rather hiding behind the colour of your skin.

While I am more in favour of the Rooney rule than you seem to be, I make you spot on about Jason Roberts as an individual. He is making a cottage industry of pronouncements on this and related subjects.

I'd have a lot more respect for him if he, as you say, had done all his badges and applied for lots of managerial jobs. Christ knows he had enough time, sitting on the touchline for almost a season taking Reading's money doing sod all with a 'mystery' injury that no one talked about.

But Roberts spent that time feathering his media nest for the future, and the (arguably much easier) money to be made as a pundit on the BBC. Fair enough, that's his choice. But I very much doubt he has ever applied for a managerial position, so how can he talk about it? I'd rather hear from a black manager with strong credentials and qualifications who HAS applied and got unfairly turned down all over the place.

 

[Beach Seagull]

While I am more in favour of the Rooney rule than you seem to be, I make you spot on about Jason Roberts as an individual. He is making a cottage industry of pronouncements on this and related subjects.

I'd have a lot more respect for him if he, as you say, had done all his badges and applied for lots of managerial jobs. Christ knows he had enough time, sitting on the touchline for almost a season taking Reading's money doing sod all with a 'mystery' injury that no one talked about.

But Roberts spent that time feathering his media nest for the future, and the (arguably much easier) money to be made as a pundit on the BBC. Fair enough, that's his choice. But I very much doubt he has ever applied for a managerial position, so how can he talk about it? I'd rather hear from a black manager with strong credentials and qualifications who HAS applied and got unfairly turned down all over the place.

Excellent points.