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In a report revealed last month, the Black Football Partnership(BFP), an organization of present and former black players published its annual review of the professional game in England and Wales and revealed that the number of management-related positions held by black employees had risen from 49 individuals out of 1338(3.7 percent) in 2022 to 57 individuals out of 1304 (4.4 percent) in 2023.
Former Tottenham Hotspur, Rangers and Sunderland striker, Jermain Defore has revealed he would like more opportunities given to black individuals especially at the highest of levels.
The 40-year-old has also revealed his plans to become a Premier League manager one day, revealing he would like to get an opportunity because “he is good enough” and not because “he is black.”
The former England international, who was recently nominated for the Premier league hall of fame, is currently trying to earn his coaching badges as an under 18s coach at Tottenham Hotspur, and it has motivated him into harboring ambitions to become a manager in the Premier League in future.
In a report revealed last month, the Black Football Partnership(BFP), an organization of present and former black players published its annual review of the professional game in England and Wales and revealed that the number of management-related positions held by black employees had risen from 49 individuals out of 1338(3.7 percent) in 2022 to 57 individuals out of 1304 (4.4 percent) in 2023.
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17:30 - 11.04.2023
PREMIER LEAGUE Kinyanjui: Arsenal fans be warned! why Manchester City’s priority is to win Premier League
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Patrick Vieira, who was sacked by Crystal Palace recently, had spoken to The Athletic about being concerned by a lack of black managers in the division.
The report’s conclusion noted that “the traditional route for former players to earn their managerial stripes is to start at the bottom of the football pyramid,build a CV and then move up the leagues.”
However,it pointed out that for black former players, the “hiring rate at league two is worse than any other league, making career progression all the more difficult,”
“I’m not saying I want a job because I’m black and black players don’t get an opportunity. No, I want a job because I’m good enough. Give me the same opportunity.
Scott Parker was at Spurs as the under-18s’ main coach, left there after a year and got the Fulham job. Why can’t something like that happen to me?”
Defore also thinks that black former players who played at the highest level fail to get the same opportunities as white players.
“Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney… there are loads of names. I just want the same opportunity, and then if you fail it’s like, ‘At least I’ve been given the opportunity’.
“When I look at the numbers of black coaches in the game, like 4.4 per cent, that’s the only thing that makes me think, ‘Am I wasting my time?’
“Why am I any different to Sol Campbell, Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Ian Wright, Les Ferdinand, John Barnes? Why am I any different to these players and legends that I looked up to as a kid? Because at some stage, they would have been in my position thinking, ‘I’ll do my badges and get an opportunity because I’ve played at the top of the game’. But it’s not happened for them.”
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