http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32112666 Maybe its just me but is this as big an issue as he tries to make out, at least in his own personal case? I won't deny the possibility that there are some chairman out there who hold outdated beliefs but in the vast majority of cases, I believe, people are appointed because they are deemed 'good' enough, not 'white' enough. Has Barnes noticed how many people of ALL ethnicities struggle to find another job in football? There aren't many jobs available - just 92 at any one time in league football in this country! It's also complete nonsense to suggest WHITE people just stroll into another job after another one whilst black people are constantly overlooked - indeed, I find HIS comments rather offensive! Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had no problem finding a job and is already proving a rip-roaring success. Chris Ramsey has recently been given a Premier League job based on nothing other than his coaching ability. Chris Hughton managed to find another job at a decent level. Likewise Chris Powell. In fact, Barnes himself has had three managerial roles. Perhaps someone should tell him the reason nobody appoints him now has nothing to do with the colour of his skin and everything to do with him being a crap manager. I think playing the race card in his case is ridiculous and he is causing more harm to this issue than anyone.
If he's deemed not good enough to get another manager's position, then he's not good enough - end of!!!!
Perhaps he should drop right down into the non-league and try and prove himself as a manager if he feels so hard done by. I bet there are countless clubs who would enjoy the spotlight he'd bring with him. Except he won't do that will he - because he's above that sort of thing.
I don´t necessarily thínk that he´s got much of a case to argue here, as regards coloured managers having a harder time to find jobs than anyone else, BUT it did just cross my mind as regards our own Chris Hughton, at the time he was under extreme fire from fans, and before that, when people were calling for his head, whether or not any of that was race-related, and whether he might have been shown more tolerance if he had had a different skin colour. Sad fact these days, but it does happen
I'd had similar thoughts Supers when I read that piece. Has there been any genuine statistical analysis to support that (ie a comparison of time between jobs after a sacking with ethnicity)? I'd suspect that there isn't a significant difference, but the small number of non-white managers in the league means that it's easier to notice when someone with a reasonable profile struggles to get another job.
That's simply not true. He wasn't good enough, race didn't come into it for a single Norwich fan I spoke with about him. Maybe I can't speak for everyone, but that's quite a serious accusation with no evidence to back it up. Personally, I was proud that our club was the only one to have a black manager in the football league, especially in a city where such a small percentage of the population is black.
I can only think of one that has dropped off the radar and that's the odious Paul Ince, so nothing to do with his colour then!
Obviously I'm a bit biased when it comes to Barnesy as I think the bloke is a legend. I don't really want to comment too much until I've seen the programme tomorow night but he isn't usually given to lobbing grenades about on this subject - he's always fairly eloquent and isn't a fool so will have been well aware of the fall out that his comments would cause. It might actually be very helpful in the long run that he's said this as I think the game would benefit hugely if this subject was addressed once and for all to see if it is a genuine issue.
I remember quite a few years ago when Chris Kamara got the sack from Bradford. David Mellor was the host of 606 and he asked if it was a race thing? Kamara - and full credit to him - replied, "Not in the slightest. It was because I wasn't up to the job." If John Barnes has said this, then I think he has been very poorly advised. As Dan said, he doesn't normally lob in grenades, and is an intelligent and very eloquent man.
Whilst I can't rule out a small minority giving him less leeway because of race. It's utter garbage, I and a number of others wanted rid because his management style and football were hateful! Bah!
Kamara went even further Res - in another phone in he said "yes it was my colour. The chairman called me in after 6 months and said "Chris - we're bottom fo the league, you've hardly won a match and this morning I suddenly realised that you are black. you're sacked""
Another point I'd make would be that there were no barriers seemingly in place for Ince as he accelerated toward the top tier, he jumped to many times too quickly and I think his abrasive attitude did for him more than anything else except ulultimately results, which in reality is the be all and end all. Bah!
Personally I felt if race had anything to do with Hughton's position at our club it may well have been to prolong his tenure. At the time he was the only black manager in the Football league and there was the inevitable "Norwich sack last black manager" headlines awaiting his dismissal. I don't think this had s great effect, if any, but I remeber there was the odd press article around it at the time and no club want that publicity. Personally I do think there is a point that the proportion of black coaching staff is less than the proportion of black playing staff. The Rooney Rule in the States has been fairly effective at addressing this inbalance. Where several interviewees have been right for other jobs. Generally I'm a fan of meritocracy, not quotas. Everyone should get the same opportunity to apply and feel they are considered evenly but the job should always go to the best candidate not the one who fits a policy best.
At risk of lighting the blue touch paper................. There is actually an argument that "black" managers, on the whole, do not perform well, but not employing them does not make it racist, or prejudice against the colour as default. Yes each individual should be based on their merits, but in the case of John Barnes, Chris Kamara, Keith Alexander, Chris Hughton, none of them were up to the job at the time, Why would a chairman take the risk if there is someone better available? Even the great Ruud Gullett did not make a great manager
Hughton should have lost his job far sooner than he did and no one in their right minds would say that he was only fired because he was black/mixed race! We're were playing dire football and slipping badly into the relegation zone. Whether there is a race issue with black managers, I don't know (There probably is for some chairman/fans somewhere). I would be interested to see the rates of Black or minority groups entering into managerial programs and getting their coaching badges.
I´m not pointing the finger at anyone particularly here, but I´m sure you haven´t spoken to every City fan, Hucks, and the fact is that racism is still very rife, and football is just one of many areas where it pops its head up, for ex. the Jerome incident in the Leeds match, and it just happened to cross my mind as regards Hughton, that´s all. I´m sure you´ll find no-one who will admit to it, but I think we all know it does exist. ............and the same goes for you too, Melchy.
You hope that was the case KIO, and I hope that was the case too, for 100 % of the fans, but that´s all any of us can say with any certainty.
I hate discrimination of every sort, but especially positive discrimination. If someone is good enough to do the job, then they should be hired irrespective. We don't need quotas and stats to tip the balance against the talent gradient. The only instance where discrimination is acceptable is against ITFC.
