Morning all.
When the subject of diversity is brought up, I always feel the need to stress that any word ending in ‘ist’ doesn’t apply to me. Well it does as far as the law goes but I’m not racist, sexist or anything else. I believe in a simple rule and that’s to treat others as I’d like to treated myself.
This article is not meant to cause any offence and if it does, I welcome any feedback via email.
This was in The Times the other day.
- The FA has recruited a group of black and ethnic minority coaches to work with the senior England squad and the under-21s, fulfilling a commitment to increase the diversity of the coaching set-up.
Is it right that we are seeing things like the above?
Surely, if someone is a good coach, they’re a good coach. If they show potential and commit to learning that role or any trade in life, then give that person a chance. The colour of someone’s skin shouldn’t even come into this, nor should religion, sexual orientation or race imo. People should get a job in life because they’re right for the job and the job is right for them. A fair and honest interviewing process is all that’s required. The term ‘fulfilling a commitment’ is wrong on so many levels in my opinion. An insult to black, ethnic and gay coaches too. I doubt any of whom would like to form a career in the game or any sport because someone else has ‘fulfilled a commitment’. They, just like anyone will want the job they’re going for because they’re bloody good at what they’re doing.
This ‘if your face fits’ or ‘it’s not what you, it’s who you know, approach to life is something I’ve always struggled to understand. Sol Campbell, one of the best defenders England has seen in recent years has often spoken out about how difficult it’s been for him to get a job in management. Once he went up against Craig Bellamy for the Oxford Utd job but didn’t get it. Neither did Bellamy as far as I can make out.
“Maybe it was a lack of experience. Things like that, but it’s like a full circle. Experience? How do I get experience? Well, I need a job to get experience. I don’t want to go too low that it’s a struggle, and I don’t want to go too low that I’m under someone and thinking: ‘What am I doing here?’”
It must be tough Campbell to understand though why no one has given him a chance, especially after doing so well as a player, well, after he left that lot down the road but has he ever stopped and questioned himself about why he’s not getting a managerial post.
Maybe he thinks he’s better than he is, maybe he interviews badly, or perhaps he just thinks that because he was such a good footballer, he’ll make a great manager.
Life doesn’t work that way though. Great players in any sport don’t necessarily make great coaches. An old tennis coach told me that when I was young and he was a great coach but by his own admission, wasn’t an outstanding player. Very good, but not a player you’d ever expect to see at Wimbledon.
There’s been the exceptions in football management, like Dalglish, Guardiola, Cruyff, Zidane etc etc, but as said, they are the exception. Shearer, Neville, Maradona, Adams, van Basten, Merson, Keane, Stoichkov, are just a few on a long list of ‘failures’ and just the ones I’ve named have something in common. Yep, they’re not black, of ethnic origin or as far as I know, gay. They were just not cut out to be a top notch manager or coach.
The FA can fulfil their commitment to diversity all they like but the ability to do be a football coach isn’t there, it isn’t there. That isn’t down to skin colour, religion, or sexual orientation problem. It’s just life!
Finally, Arsenal players of tomorrow have been doing it for England.
Smith Rowe scored for the under 19’s, Nelson went all Ramsey and finished with a fancy flick, Eddie and Willock nabbed one a piece for the under 20’s while John-Jules got on the scoresheet for the under 18’s.
Not wanting to miss out on the action, Ballard scored the only goal of the game for Northern Ireland.
Cheeky eh?
Have a good Friday guys…
Hi Rico, a great post but at the moment I’m knackered after a long walk on a soft sandy beach and back along the cliff top with strong south westerly wind threatening to blow me over the edge. So my comments will come later.😉
Hi Cicero, thanks.
I’m just glad someone left a comment.. 😜
Afternoon Rico. A topical post.
Afternoon Adam, topical but not popular 🤣
Oh I don’t know Rico. Surely any normal, right thinking person would just accept these things as self-evident. Mind you, in the world we live in today I wonder how many ‘normal people’ there are in left. 🙂
“Are left” that should read.
Ha ha Adam.
Evening all and thank you Rico.
It`s worth listening to Talksport on re-listen as today this was the main subject on the Jim White Show, although JW was not there, but Perry was !……………………Troy Townsend (Andros`s dad) was on and he is with Kick It Out.
The main gripe is that black and ethnic minority people are not getting the interviews and it`s obvious (to me)that this is a problem that should be rectified, but I`m afraid (and yet another which is my opinion) it`s the “Sir Chips” type`s where the problem lays, they think they are still running the colonies.
You are right that it`s the best person for the job regardless of race, colour, sex etc`, but when you look at the amount of black, asian , ethnic minority managers as a percentage of the same players in the game, there is something wrong.
Give them a chance at interviews is all they are asking for, you know as well as I that if too identical applicants in qualifications wrote for an interview with Sir Chips and the names were…………..Nigel Smithers Carrington and Hamed Aziz Muhammed…………….who will get the job ?
PS
Love the name Troy……………………..if I was on a dating site it would be my pseudonym choice for getting the women excited !………………….Troy Hardshaft !……….. 😆
PPS………………………………..yes, great night for the young Gooners !
I must have given talksport the idea Lc. Lol
Morning Rico.
Speaking from Oz, I can tell you the divide we see between-not sure exactly how to describe this without “offending” anyone-but the straight, white male and the rest of the population is growing here, as is the underlying animosity.
Again, in Oz, we see immigrants receiving more assistance on welfare than our elderly do.
We see the I indigenous people receiving so many benefits that your average non-indigenous people get, it’s crazy and all for what (apparently) my ancestors potentially did to their ancestors long before any of us alive today were born.
Women do have certain things in Oz that are “women only” yet anything that even hints at “men only” is torn to shreds.
We’ve gone so far beyond equality here, it’s become a joke and all because minority groups have stepped forward to fight for their rights, which I’m absolutely supportive of, yet anytime the white male speaks up, he’s labelled racist, sexist, homophobic etc etc etc
Equal treatment for EVERYONE would be absolutely brilliant, but that’s really not what minority groups want, they want special treatment and again, here in Oz, that’s the truth.
Interestingly, here’s a perfect example of how people speak when they disagree on a topic.
In a conversation involving several people, possibly 10-12, I was labelled a “coon lover” by one person, and a racist by another.
So, apparently I love black people according to one person, and hates black people in the opinion of someone else???
I don’t treat anyone any differently to how they treat me regardless of sex, race or religion.
My wife and son are part Aboriginal and we could get free schooling, a mortgage in a ridiculously low interest rate but we haven’t taken advantage of a single thing, though maybe we should lol
Back to Cicero’s snowman post if you want diversity.
Seriously though it isn’t a given that a good player makes a good coach . I played to a reasonable standard but tried to coach a local team and just couldn’t get through to them . I thought it was them but in my latter years thinking about it , probably it was as much me as them
It was always said that Hoddle couldn’t coach because he could not see things from the players lesser ability and I think it’s true what is obvious to an ex player is often a mystery to a youngster coming through . That’s why we are not all teachers.
Whether you are Black , brown , yellow or white shouldn’t matter but that is the world we now live in despite all the efforts on the subject . Birds of a feather as they say , there is a mistrust of different and whilst club owners are predominately of one sect they will choose amongst themselves .
Scott we are climbing aboard your boat here if we are not already on it.
We have many examples of things that make you want to tear you hair out as different fringe groups go for their human rights . in America the trend was started with the me too accusations now a man is not able to be normal around women for fear of the recriminations . I had a hip replacement two years ago and unfortunately during the operation something happened and I lost the normal feeling of my feet and occasionly when walking especially turning I might stumble. One time I put my hand out to steady myself and touched a woman;’s shoulder , thank god it was only there but the abuse I took was unbelievable , I left the store feeling about 5″ tall and with everyone muttering under their breath .
Something has gone wrong with society in general it doesn’t feel safe with itself and takes it out on everyone
I’m back at last, currently watching, well half an eye on it, the Croatia/England game so have time and an inclination to get into your post Rico.
As far as your headline question is concerned, in my considered opinion, the FA have got this one wrong. The England team is far too important to the morale of our country for it to be put at risk by ineffective coaching, no risk should be taken when it comes to the quality of the coaches. I know that that may sound as if I am denigrating the abilities of the black and ethnic minority coaches selected by the FA, but in fact what I saying is that any coach appointed should have the position on merit alone.
The same criteria should apply in all walks of life and in all areas of employment. We are currently seeing an influx of women into journalism and broadcasting, in many cases they are doing a job equally as well, in some cases better, than their male colleagues but there needs to be a level playing field when it comes to recruitment, not one skewed by tokenism or influenced by militant feminism.
I read recently that Amazon, who will be showing Premiership football next season, are thinking of offering viewers the option of an all female presentation crew, i.e. commentators and pundits. That’s fair enough, but for the masculinists among us, shouldn’t we have the option of an all male presentation crew?
I think maybe that I should stop there, before getting round to suggesting an LGBT crew option as well. 😉
Well it was nil nil when I started that comment, and it’s nil nil now. YAAAAWNNN!
Potter, it’s a joke.
It really is.
I’ve always been very careful and respectful about how I speak to women as I’ve always thought how I’d want my mum, sister or wife spoken to, but what you’ve described is clearly accidental to anyone with a brain but so many don’t have one any more 🙂
I’ve actually had 2 women abuse me for holding a door open for them-what the hell do you say to that?
In Oz, minority groups have entrenched themselves in politics and we are paying dearly for it.
No longer is the term “for the greater good” even relevant.
It’s a case of whoever screams the loudest.
Anyway, I couldn’t care less what someone’s background is.
I hate everyone equally 🙂 🙂
Morning all.
Usain Bolt scored 2 goals in a trial last night.
He’s still nowhere near good enough, but he does have a bloody nice left peg!!
Good comments Scott, Potter, Cicero – I think this one was a hot potato.
New post up now.
I thought this was a rather daft article which is rather unusual for this site ….l remember when ozil was complaining about racism in the German FA interestingly none of his white colleagues saw any racism but ask guys like Boateng and Gundogan they will tell you different
If up to 40% of the players are from ethnic minorities and only 2% are represented as coaches then there something seriously wrong with the black gene that makes them unable to understand the game…or maybe coaching is just too complex for the black brain
Crazy, you think it’s a daft article yet you agree with it in a way.