“ Terry Connor's important message Cardiff City assistant

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“ Terry Connor's important message Cardiff City assistant

Postby Forever Blue » Thu Oct 14, 2021 11:09 pm

Terry Connor's important message


Friday 15th October 2021


Cardiff City assistant manager Terry Connor hopes how his experiences in football as a black player and coach can help the next generation coming through.

October is Black History Month and Connor, speaking to the Bluebirds' official website, has spoken candidly and in depth about his journey in the game.

Cardiff have a number of promising black players coming through the youth system – Chanka Zimba, Ibrahim Bakare and Jai Semenyo just to name a few — and Connor believes that he is well equipped to aid their transition into senior football.




TERRY CONNOR:

"Because of the colour of my skin, it might help a young black player," Connor told the club's website.

"I know in the past, instances have happened to them as black players, I've been through those situations before. So I am able to offer some advice and some comfort to them that I am here, I am still working in the game, still trying to make a mark and press on with breaking down barriers that are often there for black players.

"As a coach, I feel it's my role, my duty to coach everyone and I treat everyone the same.

"I know at times, for black players, it gives them something to know that I've been there and I've been through situations and I can be someone they can speak to if they have a problem.

"I don't give them anything that I wouldn't give any other player, nationality or creed, but I'm there. That's what I'm there for, to help as much as I can for them to develop as young players into senior players."

Connor cut his teeth in the game up at Leeds United.

His parents, from St Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean, moved to England in the 1950s and despite his dad's penchant for cricket, Connor only had his sights set on football.

He broke into Leeds' youth system at 10 years of age before making his debut for the first team at the age of 17. He never looked back after that.

Connor faced his fair share of adversity throughout his career, though, of that there is no doubt. But he has some sage advice to young black footballers who are dreaming of making their way in the game in this modern age.

"The biggest thing I can say is to have belief in yourself. You'll have plenty of knockbacks," Connor added.

"I remember my dad, his saying was... we used to say to him, 'Oh dad, it's not fair' for the things that happened to us early on in our lives and his motto to me was, 'I never told you life was fair. I told you that you had to work hard and things may come your way, but it's not a fair world.'

"That's what you have to try to overcome, those tough hurdles and barriers that are there, especially if you are young and black. They can be overcome.

"If I can push some boundaries back and they can stand on my shoulders and get to the next level, then I'm all for that.
I wish that Black History Month was every month and people did things, spoke about it and expressed opinions all year through, not just shine a light on it in October and it goes away.

"It's a daily thing, an ongoing message, it's not just for a period of time and we stop. Schools, clubs, international teams, it should be on a daily basis.

"We can only educate each other and try as much as we can to make everything in our lives equal. For there to be no discrimination, no racism.

"That'll take time, education in schools and in the football society - and society in general.

"They have to be in our daily lives if we are going to make a lasting and significant change."
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“ Terry Connor's important message Cardiff City assistant

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