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| Racism is still blocking the rise of black managers, says Ricky Hill | Racism is still blocking the rise of black managers, says Ricky Hill |
| (4 months later) | |
| Ricky Hill has lost count of the letters he has sent applying for coaching or managerial positions in England, covering every level from the Ryman Premier to the Premier League, across the past 20 years. The former Luton Town player has no problem, however, remembering the number of replies he has received: one. | Ricky Hill has lost count of the letters he has sent applying for coaching or managerial positions in England, covering every level from the Ryman Premier to the Premier League, across the past 20 years. The former Luton Town player has no problem, however, remembering the number of replies he has received: one. |
| "Sir Alex Ferguson had the decency to phone me to let me know that he was going in another direction after I applied for the reserve team post at Manchester United in 2003. But I've never had a response from anyone else, even by letter," says Hill, who was a stylish midfielder in the 70s and 80s and became only the fourth black player to represent England. "Richard Scudamore might turn around and say: 'You're not good enough.' But hold on a minute – I've got three coach of the year awards." | "Sir Alex Ferguson had the decency to phone me to let me know that he was going in another direction after I applied for the reserve team post at Manchester United in 2003. But I've never had a response from anyone else, even by letter," says Hill, who was a stylish midfielder in the 70s and 80s and became only the fourth black player to represent England. "Richard Scudamore might turn around and say: 'You're not good enough.' But hold on a minute – I've got three coach of the year awards." |
| The most recent of those accolades came two months ago, when Hill was named North American Soccer League Coach of the Year, after he led Tampa Bay Rowdies to the NASL Soccer Bowl in a division that is essentially one below the MLS. They also picked up the fair play award for the second successive season, as the league's most disciplined team. | The most recent of those accolades came two months ago, when Hill was named North American Soccer League Coach of the Year, after he led Tampa Bay Rowdies to the NASL Soccer Bowl in a division that is essentially one below the MLS. They also picked up the fair play award for the second successive season, as the league's most disciplined team. |
| Hill mentions Scudamore's name in relation to his coaching achievements – which have come across two separate periods in charge of the Rowdies and another in Trinidad & Tobago – for a reason. Last year, when Scudamore dismissed the idea of English football's top-flight implementing the Rooney rule, established in the NFL in 2003 and requiring clubs to interview at least one ethnic minority candidate for head coaching and senior football operation positions, the Premier League chief executive said: "If people are good enough, then they will get chances." | Hill mentions Scudamore's name in relation to his coaching achievements – which have come across two separate periods in charge of the Rowdies and another in Trinidad & Tobago – for a reason. Last year, when Scudamore dismissed the idea of English football's top-flight implementing the Rooney rule, established in the NFL in 2003 and requiring clubs to interview at least one ethnic minority candidate for head coaching and senior football operation positions, the Premier League chief executive said: "If people are good enough, then they will get chances." |
| For Hill, those remarks implied that Scudamore believes climbing to the top of English football, as a manager, coach or executive, comes down to whether or not someone is equipped to do the job and has nothing to do with their skin colour. Hill sees things rather differently and echoing the thoughts of Lord Triesman, the former chairman of the Football Association, believes "institutional racism" is behind the statistics that show black managers and coaches continue to be so poorly represented among the 92 professional clubs in England. | For Hill, those remarks implied that Scudamore believes climbing to the top of English football, as a manager, coach or executive, comes down to whether or not someone is equipped to do the job and has nothing to do with their skin colour. Hill sees things rather differently and echoing the thoughts of Lord Triesman, the former chairman of the Football Association, believes "institutional racism" is behind the statistics that show black managers and coaches continue to be so poorly represented among the 92 professional clubs in England. |
| Chris Hughton at Norwich, Chris Powell at Charlton and Keith Curle at Notts County are currently the only black managers operating in the top four divisions. Hill was briefly among the select band but he lost the job at Luton in 2000, after only four months in charge. His dismissal left him feeling "cheated" because of the problems he says he inherited on and off the field at Kenilworth Road and the lack of time he was given to turn things around. Having previously coached at youth level with Sheffield Wednesday and Tottenham Hotspur, he has never been given another chance in England. | Chris Hughton at Norwich, Chris Powell at Charlton and Keith Curle at Notts County are currently the only black managers operating in the top four divisions. Hill was briefly among the select band but he lost the job at Luton in 2000, after only four months in charge. His dismissal left him feeling "cheated" because of the problems he says he inherited on and off the field at Kenilworth Road and the lack of time he was given to turn things around. Having previously coached at youth level with Sheffield Wednesday and Tottenham Hotspur, he has never been given another chance in England. |
| There are a couple of key reasons, Hill says, for the paucity of black managers and coaches in the UK. "The first issue is that there is no track record of success because we're first generation all over again. The second and more important issue is that the racism still exists. I believe it is conscious bias in certain aspects, where someone will blatantly see a name and say that's not for us. And there's the unconscious bias, where you don't think of it but because you have no history to revert back to, you don't believe they're capable and you go with the norm. | There are a couple of key reasons, Hill says, for the paucity of black managers and coaches in the UK. "The first issue is that there is no track record of success because we're first generation all over again. The second and more important issue is that the racism still exists. I believe it is conscious bias in certain aspects, where someone will blatantly see a name and say that's not for us. And there's the unconscious bias, where you don't think of it but because you have no history to revert back to, you don't believe they're capable and you go with the norm. |
| "I think Kick It Out, the PFA [Professional Footballers' Association] and the FA have done tremendous work in terms of eradicating overt, in-your-face racism. People can't say what they want in the crowd any more, as they used to do. They can't single out people and spit at you because you are a black player, as I had at some clubs when I was playing. But covert racism, we are nowhere near dealing with it." | "I think Kick It Out, the PFA [Professional Footballers' Association] and the FA have done tremendous work in terms of eradicating overt, in-your-face racism. People can't say what they want in the crowd any more, as they used to do. They can't single out people and spit at you because you are a black player, as I had at some clubs when I was playing. But covert racism, we are nowhere near dealing with it." |
| Hill, who speaks passionately and eloquently, has long believed the only way to break down those barriers is via intervention, which is why he brought the Rooney rule to the attention of the League Managers Association and the PFA seven years ago. | Hill, who speaks passionately and eloquently, has long believed the only way to break down those barriers is via intervention, which is why he brought the Rooney rule to the attention of the League Managers Association and the PFA seven years ago. |
| He is frustrated that he has never been part of discussions since, especially as he passed on all of the contacts that he made at the NFL, but there is a far greater sense of disappointment that the Rooney rule has still not been introduced and continues to be misunderstood by leading figures in the game. | He is frustrated that he has never been part of discussions since, especially as he passed on all of the contacts that he made at the NFL, but there is a far greater sense of disappointment that the Rooney rule has still not been introduced and continues to be misunderstood by leading figures in the game. |
| "People don't get the actual concept," Hill says. "They think it's tokenism and 'why should they be given special privileges?' This isn't about that or 'favouritism' or 'quotas'. The Rooney rule doesn't guarantee that an ethnic minority person gets a job but it will enable them to be seen and heard by the powers that be that make decisions. | "People don't get the actual concept," Hill says. "They think it's tokenism and 'why should they be given special privileges?' This isn't about that or 'favouritism' or 'quotas'. The Rooney rule doesn't guarantee that an ethnic minority person gets a job but it will enable them to be seen and heard by the powers that be that make decisions. |
| "I say this – and it might have a racist overtone but I don't mean it like that because I've never had an inferiority complex on race – but chairmen do employ people that come from similar backgrounds to them, that have a similar look and a similar culture, because that's what historically they've always done. And until you find something that will broaden their outlook, we will still continue to have a lack of capable black candidates. | "I say this – and it might have a racist overtone but I don't mean it like that because I've never had an inferiority complex on race – but chairmen do employ people that come from similar backgrounds to them, that have a similar look and a similar culture, because that's what historically they've always done. And until you find something that will broaden their outlook, we will still continue to have a lack of capable black candidates. |
| "Not every black coach is capable of getting the job, but at least give them the interview. If it doesn't work out, fine. I know I'm capable. I've had seven interviews abroad and been offered the post six times – and numerous applicants, in one case a former USA manager, have gone for those positions." | "Not every black coach is capable of getting the job, but at least give them the interview. If it doesn't work out, fine. I know I'm capable. I've had seven interviews abroad and been offered the post six times – and numerous applicants, in one case a former USA manager, have gone for those positions." |
| Hill is aware of the latest developments, including the FA's plans to increase the number of ethnic minority coaches at grassroots level, but it is at the top of the English game where he wants to see change. "I'm 53 now, I've been coaching nearly 20 years. I've had one opportunity in the UK as a manager, for four months. | Hill is aware of the latest developments, including the FA's plans to increase the number of ethnic minority coaches at grassroots level, but it is at the top of the English game where he wants to see change. "I'm 53 now, I've been coaching nearly 20 years. I've had one opportunity in the UK as a manager, for four months. |
| "My shelf life is running out and I am not one of those that this rule will benefit in the Premier League because I do not have the Pro Licence. But I want to see this rule implemented so that what's happened to myself, and people like Luther Blissett and Cyrille Regis in the past, doesn't happen to anyone else. | "My shelf life is running out and I am not one of those that this rule will benefit in the Premier League because I do not have the Pro Licence. But I want to see this rule implemented so that what's happened to myself, and people like Luther Blissett and Cyrille Regis in the past, doesn't happen to anyone else. |
| "I believe the Premier League should take the lead with the Rooney rule because it's a trickle-down effect. The Premier League is the flagship organisation for football worldwide with their global audience, and it would be nice to see some diversity, not only on the field but also in the coaching ranks, or in the front-office positions, whereby people around the world would be able to see that those from an ethnic minority background are capable of leading others and working at the top level." | "I believe the Premier League should take the lead with the Rooney rule because it's a trickle-down effect. The Premier League is the flagship organisation for football worldwide with their global audience, and it would be nice to see some diversity, not only on the field but also in the coaching ranks, or in the front-office positions, whereby people around the world would be able to see that those from an ethnic minority background are capable of leading others and working at the top level." |
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