Introduction of the 'Rooney Rule’ will help tackle the diversity problem in English football coaching
Currently, in the top four leagues of English football, there is a grand total of four managers who are black or come from a minority ethnic background (BAME); Chris Hughton at Brighton, Darren Moore at West Brom, Chris Powell at Southend and Keith Curle at Northampton.
So, considering that roughly 25% of players in the Premier League and English Football League are made up of BAME footballers (Irish Times, 2017), why are so few coaches from a similar background deemed good enough to lead a team as the manager? It’s an issue that desperately needs tackling.
The Rooney Rule, introduced to the NFL in 2003 and named after former chairman of Pittsburgh Steelers and the league’s diversity committee Dan Rooney, dictates that a BAME candidate must be interviewed when recruiting for senior coaching roles (Independent, 2018).
Earlier this year, the FA revealed that they would be using the rule for any upcoming vacancies involved with the England set-up and the EFL have also agreed to adopt the rule (Daily Mail, 2018). This, in my view, is a positive step towards a more diverse, inclusive footballing world.
The startling stats following its introduction to the NFL 16 years ago certainly suggest that it’s possible. In 2003, before the rule was introduced to the sport, just three coaches in the NFL were from minority backgrounds. The following year, after the rule was implemented, that number had doubled. Three years after that, it went up to a record-high of 11 (Mirror, 2014).
Chris Ramsey, one of the few black coaches who did manage to secure a high-profile job as manager of QPR in 2015, firmly backs the Rooney Rule to improve the lack of diversity in English football management.
He said: “It forces people to at least look at themselves, their policies, how things have gone on in the past and realise that there needs to be a wider vision of how we make things more inclusive.” (Telegraph, 2018).
Some black managers, such as Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink, are not impressed with the rule; saying that every candidate should be interviewed on merit, not ethnicity (BBC, 2014).
However, something needs to be done, and there are just not enough BAME managers being given an opportunity. As Moore is currently proving at West Brom, sometimes all people need is a chance to shine.
Embed from Getty Images
It’s a building process and the Rooney Rule may not reap immediate effects, but it’s an attempt to address and evident problem and a step towards a sport where everyone feels that they’ve got an equal chance to live their dreams.
Reference list
BBC (2014) Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink would not want Rooney Rule interview. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30047402
Daily Mail (2018) FA to introduce version of Rooney Rule for national team jobs as they look to interview at least one BAME candidate. Available at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5250499/FA-introduce-Rooney-Rule-national-team-jobs.html
Mirror (2014) How would the Rooney Rule impact the number of black managers in England? Available at: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/how-would-rooney-rule-impact-4400252
Independent (2018) Rooney Rule: What is it, how does it work and how will it affect English football? Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/rooney-rule-what-is-how-nfl-england-football-managers-pick-bame-coach-fa-martin-glenn-a8150056.html
Irish Times (2017) Chris Hughton ploughing a lonely furrow for black managers. Available at: https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/chris-hughton-ploughing-a-lonely-furrow-for-black-managers-1.3065170
Telegraph (2018) Exclusive: Rooney Rule progress encouraging but 'institutional racism' still limiting opportunities. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/10/16/rooney-rule-progress-encouraging-institutional-racism-still/
So, considering that roughly 25% of players in the Premier League and English Football League are made up of BAME footballers (Irish Times, 2017), why are so few coaches from a similar background deemed good enough to lead a team as the manager? It’s an issue that desperately needs tackling.
The Rooney Rule, introduced to the NFL in 2003 and named after former chairman of Pittsburgh Steelers and the league’s diversity committee Dan Rooney, dictates that a BAME candidate must be interviewed when recruiting for senior coaching roles (Independent, 2018).
Earlier this year, the FA revealed that they would be using the rule for any upcoming vacancies involved with the England set-up and the EFL have also agreed to adopt the rule (Daily Mail, 2018). This, in my view, is a positive step towards a more diverse, inclusive footballing world.
The startling stats following its introduction to the NFL 16 years ago certainly suggest that it’s possible. In 2003, before the rule was introduced to the sport, just three coaches in the NFL were from minority backgrounds. The following year, after the rule was implemented, that number had doubled. Three years after that, it went up to a record-high of 11 (Mirror, 2014).
Chris Ramsey, one of the few black coaches who did manage to secure a high-profile job as manager of QPR in 2015, firmly backs the Rooney Rule to improve the lack of diversity in English football management.
He said: “It forces people to at least look at themselves, their policies, how things have gone on in the past and realise that there needs to be a wider vision of how we make things more inclusive.” (Telegraph, 2018).
Some black managers, such as Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink, are not impressed with the rule; saying that every candidate should be interviewed on merit, not ethnicity (BBC, 2014).
However, something needs to be done, and there are just not enough BAME managers being given an opportunity. As Moore is currently proving at West Brom, sometimes all people need is a chance to shine.
Embed from Getty Images
It’s a building process and the Rooney Rule may not reap immediate effects, but it’s an attempt to address and evident problem and a step towards a sport where everyone feels that they’ve got an equal chance to live their dreams.
Reference list
BBC (2014) Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink would not want Rooney Rule interview. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30047402
Daily Mail (2018) FA to introduce version of Rooney Rule for national team jobs as they look to interview at least one BAME candidate. Available at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5250499/FA-introduce-Rooney-Rule-national-team-jobs.html
Mirror (2014) How would the Rooney Rule impact the number of black managers in England? Available at: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/how-would-rooney-rule-impact-4400252
Independent (2018) Rooney Rule: What is it, how does it work and how will it affect English football? Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/rooney-rule-what-is-how-nfl-england-football-managers-pick-bame-coach-fa-martin-glenn-a8150056.html
Irish Times (2017) Chris Hughton ploughing a lonely furrow for black managers. Available at: https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/chris-hughton-ploughing-a-lonely-furrow-for-black-managers-1.3065170
Telegraph (2018) Exclusive: Rooney Rule progress encouraging but 'institutional racism' still limiting opportunities. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/10/16/rooney-rule-progress-encouraging-institutional-racism-still/
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