What is taught in school now does nothing to reduce prejudice but the sport I love has the power to change perceptions
As somebody who has played football since I was tiny, spent two decades in the game and been fortunate enough to become a manager, I would like to think I am an asset to the sport. Then I remember that I am one of the very few lucky people in my position. Imagine if I had felt obliged to step away and find another profession because I didn’t feel there was a pathway for me, for no other reason than the fact people had decided there was nothing I could contribute? I know so many black and minority ethnic people who would have made fantastic managers, directors of football and coaches, but they just cannot see where the opportunities might come. Football loses some great minds because they feel the door is closed to them, and it is genuinely upsetting.
Society is full of unconscious biases and, given football mirrors life closely, we have to accept they are rife here. It is a reality of everyday existence for many of us, but the topic has come to mind especially strongly in recent weeks. October is Black History Month and it has made me ask how we can address those injustices more effectively, and how football can take a lead in making it happen.
