Premier League clubs told to be more open ahead of ‘Rooney Rule’

Exceptional: QPR boss Chris Ramsey is one of just six BME managers in the top four divisions
Dan Weir/Pinnacle
Tom Collomosse7 October 2015

Top Premier League clubs were today challenged to overhaul the “closed system” that is preventing enough black and minority ethnic coaches from entering football.

FA board member Heather Rabbatts believes progress is being made but insists clubs must work harder to make English football more representative. Only six of the 92 clubs in the top four divisions employ black managers and Rabbatts, head of the FA’s inclusion advisory board, said: “The FA can make it different but it is for the clubs to be open.

“There is a closed system and that has to be challenged. To welcome the most talented people, there has to be open recruitment. It’s for the chairmen to stand up and be counted.”

“In the boardrooms, there is a huge gap in terms of numbers and every small step matters. We need to ensure people sit on boards and influence decisions at the top level.”

Earlier this year, the Football League unveiled plans to introduce a version of the ‘Rooney Rule’, which would see at least one black minority ethnic (BME) candidate interviewed for each head coach or manager role from 2016-17. It is anticipated this would be piloted by five to 10 clubs next season ahead of possible wider adoption.

QPR boss Chris Ramsey welcomed the proposals but also stressed that candidates should be interviewed because of qualifications alone.

Speaking at the Leaders in Sport Business Summit 2015, Ramsey said: “We don’t want tokenism. We want people to have the talent and be there on merit, but we need to get a door open so people can display their talents and be in the pack.”

The Leaders in Sport Business Summit was held at Stamford Bridge to gather the industry's most influential people to share insights and spark discussions that will help shape the future of sport.​

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