Hughton plea over coaches

very much at academy level. We just want the right representation at the top levels of our game. That includes management, decisionmakers, CEOs.

“That’s what everybody would want. It’s something I’ve spoken quite a lot about, particularly over the last year, and for the FA to have made the decision they have is very promising.

“We can speak about what could have been done earlier, but we have to speak about now and progress that can be made.”

Hughton is open to applying the rule to his own coaching appointments in future, although he admitted that his choice of assistant manager Paul Trollope, below, in November 2016 was an example of employing someone he had worked with before rather than a selection from a carefullycompiled and balanced shortlist.

However, he appointed Paul Nevin as first-team coach in June 2016 by adhering to the Rooney Rule, consciously or otherwise. “Yes, it’s certainly something that I would think of,” said Hughton.

Brighton midfielder Steve Sidwell could miss the rest of the season after breaking a leg in training. QUIQUE Sanchez Flores looks set to be in the stands at Old Trafford on Monday as Stoke’s new manager.

The former Watford boss, right, now with Espanyol, is expected to succeed the sacked Mark Hughes.

But Stoke’s hopes of having him in charge at United seem unlikely with a compensation deal for the last 18 months of Flores’s contract – about £3million – still to be agreed.