African Sports Monthly Mar, 2015 | Page 88

CHRIS RAMSEY’S APPOINTMENT IN THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE IS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR QPR’s bold decision to appoint Chris Ramsey as their manager until the end of the season was indeed a ground breaking and historical moment for QPR which now has an Asian owner, a black director of football as well as a black manager. For so long in the EPL, club owners have been reluctant to put a black manager in charge of their teams. Now no one is saying black managers are a token gesture. They should still be appointed on merit. All we are asking for is that they should be given the same opportunities as their white counterparts. Ramsey will be under no illusion though that ultimately he will be judged on results, as we are in the results business. His job is to keep the QPR in the Premiership. With the new Premiership TV deal announced it is important that they do not go down. I have always felt that for a black coach to get a fair deal, black people in the UK would have to get their hands dirty by buying clubs so that they can be part of the decision making process. Les Ferdinand who is the new director of football at QPR was the one who recommended Chris Ramsey to the Owner Tony Fernandes. The recommendation was on merit. All we want is fairness and equal opportunities. QPR Manager Chris Ramsey