The League Managers' Association (LMA) has called for an end to “bias” in recruitment which it believes is fostering a lack of diversity among head coaches across the English football pyramid.
Among the 92 clubs in the top four divisions of English football, there are currently only two black managers: Nuno Espírito Santo in Premier League Nottingham Forest and Darren Moore face off at Port Vale in League Two.
LMA chief executive Richard Bevan insists that clubs and governing bodies must act quickly. “It is important that sport strives to remove bias and increase transparency in recruitment,” said Bevan. “Only then will employment be accessed on a level playing field.”
“We continue to advocate for improved mandatory recruitment and employment standards and practices, removing the barriers of informality in the gaming labour market that act to limit the career progression of people from under-represented groups,” Bevan added.
Bevan said it was vital to help coaches from diverse backgrounds gain UEFA qualifications, describing them as “the mandatory master key to accessing employment”. The LMA is also partnering with Sheffield Hallam University to learn more about the professional experience of coaches from under-represented groups.
Bevan was speaking at the launch of a new campaign supported by the LMA, where managers are working to raise awareness during World Alzheimer's Month by wearing Alzheimer's Society badges.
England caretaker manager Lee Carsley will be the first to do so when his side take on the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Saturday night. Other men's and women's football managers will also be showing their support for the campaign throughout September. The campaign aims to help fans be aware of the signs and symptoms of dementia.
Former Brighton and Chelsea manager Graham Potter, whose mother suffered from dementia, is backing the campaign. “I know first-hand how difficult and cruel this disease is and why the work of charities like the Alzheimer's Society is so vital,” he said.
“Dementia affects so many people in so many different ways. It’s a crisis that can’t be ignored, but many people are still unaware of the signs and symptoms. Football has the power to educate and empower a mass audience, so I’m really pleased to see the sport coming together around an issue close to my heart, to help fans know what to look out for.”
