" Do you agree? Managers/Owners/New Rule "

The Football League wants to introduce a pilot version of American football's 'Rooney Rule' for the 2016-17 season.

Under the proposals, clubs would be expected to interview one black minority ethnic (BME) candidate for each head coach or manager role.

Only four black managers are currently employed at the 72 League clubs.

"It is important we take the lead in this area as our clubs will provide the majority of employment opportunities," said League chairman Greg Clarke.

Last September, Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor claimed that football has a "hidden resistance" preventing black managers getting jobs.

This came after the Football League failed to fulfil a "promise" to discuss the potential implementation of a 'Rooney Rule' at their 2013 annual general conference, for which Clarke was criticised.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Football League revealed that clubs had backed a series of proposals designed to increase employment opportunities for BME candidates.

These will be finalised before being voted on at the League's 2016 annual general meeting.

The proposals, which have received the backing of Dan Rooney, the chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the architect of the NFL's 'Rooney Rule', include:

- Five to 10 clubs will pilot a "voluntary recruitment code" to interview a BME candidate for any first-team managerial or coaching position.

- Clubs must interview at least one BME candidate for all youth development roles requiring a minimum of a Uefa B coaching licence.

- A 'ready-list' will be created of identified current BME coaches and players "with the potential and aspiration to coach in professional football" and networking opportunities improved.

"It is apparent that this is an industry that places great value on previous experience and personal relationships, which can sometimes act as a barrier to those that are less able to get a foot in the door," added Clarke.

"These proposals are intended to try and address such issues, which seem to disproportionately affect those from a BME background, while at the same time leaving employment decisions solely in the hands of clubs, as it should always be for them to decide who they wish to employ."

The implementation of a 'Rooney Rule' in football has been backed by a number of leading figures within the game, including Football Association chairman Greg Dyke and current managers from BME backgrounds, Keith Curle (Carlisle) and Chris Hughton (Huddersfield).

In November, Premier League chairman Peter Scudamore said there was no need for England's top flight to adopt the rule after its 20 clubs voted to introduce new measures designed to increase top-flight coaches from BME backgrounds.

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No, best managers get interviewed.

Powell, Hasselbaink, Hughton and Ramsey?

Yes, it's worked elsewhere, there's no obligation to hire, the system is institutionally racist, try and fix it!

Too many foreign managers, should have British coaches at every club irrespective of colour .

No, best managers get interviewed.

This. Owners are going to hire the candidate they think will bring them success. Doesn't matter what colour they are. Football is all about results. Racisum got fukall to do with it. John Barnes was a great footballer but shit manager, yet he's always pulling out the race card as to why he can't get another gig in football management. Fact is, if you're good enough, and spend enough time learning the trade, then chances are you get hired, black, brown pink or yellow...it doesn't matter

Should be illegal. It's discrimination the other way. Rifuckingdiculous.

Can someone provide me statistics of the number of black players in the top four tiers of football? Or coaches involved in the game please?

Although this is a good idea in concept. It may lead to a person of a Minority race being interviewed to tick a box not on merit.
And what happens when a club sack a manager with already a replacement lined up?

No, best managers get interviewed.

Spot on Luke,thats what matters at the end of the day,who is best

Can someone provide me statistics of the number of black players in the top four tiers of football? Or coaches involved in the game please?

552 coaches in top 4 leagues - 19 black

http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... l-managers

All this "best person should get the job" is laughable. Obviously that should (and will be the case) but if you think the owners of football clubs are incapable of being racist you have to wonder what planet you've been living on.

Whilst the principal sounds good, how can this be fair? You would end up interviewing a black person ahead of a white person even if the white person was more qualified just to 'tick a box'!

Yes, it's worked elsewhere, there's no obligation to hire, the system is institutionally racist, try and fix it!

What bullshit, you can't fix racism with positive discrimination

No, best managers get interviewed.

Absolutely agree any kind of so called 'positive' discrimination is absolutely wrong. I can remember 30 years ago the compliant was that there was not enough black players in football but that has changed over the decades as extremely good black players have forced their way into teams on MERIT, in other words because they were better than their peers and not because of their skin colour.

Eventually as more black coaches work their way through the system the same will happen at management level. To fabricate the numbers now is nothing more than political correctness bowing down to the race card.

I am all for equality and giving people a fair chance, but FAIR means treating everyone equally and that includes white people as well.

Yes, it's worked elsewhere, there's no obligation to hire, the system is institutionally racist, try and fix it!

How is the system institutionally racist? That would only be true if one particular group was treated more favourably, which ironically would only be true if the Rooney Rule was introduced.

I'm sure that Chris Ramsey, JFH and Chris Powell would be extremely insulted if you told them they only became managers because they are black and not because they are very good at their jobs and deserve the opportunity given to them.

Aspiration is a brilliant concept and underpins our society, start messing with it by introducing race related shortcuts and you are heading for disaster.

This is the problem with today’s culture, we have gone too far the other way.

Yes there were major problems with racism in football and we still see some problems with it in today’s game however this is not one of them. If a club believe a manager will do well for them, they will employ them. I don't believe an owner would not hire someone because they are black etc..

In my opinion, it's things like this that creates more racism.

This is the problem with today’s culture, we have gone too far the other way.

Yes there were major problems with racism in football and we still see some problems with it in today’s game however this is not one of them. If a club believe a manager will do well for them, they will employ them. I don't believe an owner would not hire someone because they are black etc..

In my opinion, it's things like this that creates more racism.

They want to be treated equally (which is how it should be) yet are now looking to get preferential treatment lol and if they are going to do this, then why ain't they also doing it for women, or people with disability, or asians ect or is it only ex black footballers who are discriminated against and need a helping hand to get into coaching and management. Like you said... doing this will only course resentment and make things worse. they'd be better served addressing the issue of why there's such a lack of decent British managers and coaches in the game over here. That's where the real problem is, also, why are our young British footballing talent being overlooked for foreign imports.

I believe in positive discrimination in children's academies as it's clear some ethnicities are discriminated against. If it means the talentless kids don't get a place just because of family contacts within the game then that would be fine.

Managers, I think that is going too far as I believe the owner's have the right to employ whoever they want regardless.

The only discrimination that should be supported is that of merit, affirmative action is another form of discrimination and should be stopped.

How is the system institutionally racist?

How is this group run by old white men that's always been run by old white men that is notoriously slow at combating racism institutionally racist? Yeah got me stumped there.

I'm sure that Chris Ramsey, JFH and Chris Powell would be extremely insulted if you told them they only became managers because they are black.

This statement is nonsense, no one is advocating under-qualified people. Simply that PoC are treated fairly.

The double standard trotted out by people in this situation is absurd. "Black manager would be insulted if told they got an interview because of their skin colour" then when PoC point out that they are treated unfairly ( http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/footbal ... 66719.html ) people moan they are playing the "race card" (fyi there's no such thing as the race card). So they can't win.

I don't mind the 'Rooney Rule', I think it's a good idea because you don't have to select the candidate but you have to give them a chance to make a case. It's the all woman MP shortlists that get my goat, 'positive' (not for the skilled male hopefuls) discrimination is still discrimination.

Not a fan personally. If anything, I find it even more racist in a way that it comes across as condescending.