Why English Football needs the Rooney Rule

"There is a hidden resistance."

The words of Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the professional footballers' association, on the lack of black and ethnic minority coaches in english football.

The debate around the 'Rooney Rule', a rule that was initially implemented in the NFL in 2003, has been a subject of much debate in England in recent years. 

Will Chris Ramsey find it difficult
to find another managerial role?

While the debate rattles on, the stats do not improve. Only this month Chris Powell and Chris Ramsey were sacked in the same day by Huddersfield Town and Queens Park Rangers respectively. This reduced the number of black asian and ethnic minority head coaches by a third, to just four in the professional leagues. The timing of these two sackings was rather unfortunate, but while around 25% percent of players are black asian and ethnic minority males they make up under 4% of professional coaches. 

Surely that evidences that for whatever the reason be there is a problem in english football? 

And even for those who consider a rule that supports representation to be 'positive discrimination', it would also address the serious issue of the hiring and firing rate that football currently has. 

Nineteen managers in the football league have already been sacked, meaning nearly a fifth of the clubs have already experienced a managerial change. And there will be more, plenty more. 

The problem that must really be tackled though is the lack of a systematic process for appointing a head coach or manager. If a practice was implemented where clubs were asked to interview black and ethnic minority candidate, it would actually be urging the club to actually stop and think about a major decision at a large organisation.

These decisions affect a huge amount of people and I think that can be easily overlooked.

Gary Bowyer the latest casualty of the ridiculous
hiring and firing nature of English football

A massive misconception of the Rooney Rule is that it is a quota. It simply asks that a QUALIFIED candidate from a black and ethnic minority candidate is INTERVIEWED. Not hired - interviewed. 

Such a rule would mean all clubs would be required to have a professional, thought out interview process. This is clearly not the case at many clubs. How often do you see clubs sack a manager, only to replace them a day later? While this might be seen as forward planning, it also blocks the opportunity for promising coaches to apply and make their case in front of chairmen of football clubs.

And for those that are still against the idea and think that the issue is non-existent, a transparent process such as this one would surely, if they are right, prove that there is not a problem of discrimination?

But as long as managers such as Dean Saunders (three relegations in his last three jobs) and Neil Warnock continue to be offered jobs based on after dinner speeches and who they play golf with, you are going to find it difficult to convince me that this is not a pressing issue. 

I look forward to hearing the thoughts of those who have an opinion on the matter. Please feel free to comment below if you would like to debate the matter further!