DAVE WHELAN’S AWFUL COMMENTS
The comments made by Dave Whelan, the owner of Wigan, regarding Jewish and Chinese people (which I do not want to repeat) were awful, racist and gives us an insight into why black coaches are underrepresented in the English Premier League, which is the most powerful brand in the World. With people like Whelan it is no surprise that we are no nearer seeing more black coaches in the English Premier League and the lower leagues, which only has two black coaches. I have heard people say that black people have to do their coaching badges and so on. Some of them have but they are just not getting the breaks they deserve. Take for instance Lee Clark, who was sacked at Birmingham City, in the
Championship. The ink was barely dry on his sack letter, when he was appointed as manager of Blackpool! Yet someone like Chris Hughton is still struggling to get a job after he was sacked at Norwich. It is as if it is one rule for white coaches and another for black ones, who seem to have to prove themselves ten times over. Even if a black coach is good at what he does it only needs for a club to change ownership for them to make an excuse of bringing in their own people! All we are asking for is a system that is fair to all coaches. Back to Dave Whelan, no wonder he was not in favor of the Rooney Rule!
DIVERSITY IN THE MEDIA
If you think Racism on the pitch is bad and lack of black coaches in the Premier League are bad enough, try the British Press. I recently attended a Diversity Seminar as to why there is a lack of black journalists in the mainstream media in Britain. What shocked me was when representatives of the newly established BT Sport were asked why there is a lack of black journalists in the personnel when they set up their broadcast teams. The reply that came back was that they had not thought of it at all! Words failed me when I heard that. So many black people undertake media studies hoping that they will end up with a dream job in the media. There is just one small problem though. A lot of them may well end up