Hughton: Rooney Rule should apply to clubs too
BRIghTON manager Chris hughton has praised the FA for introducing the Rooney Rule for future England appointments and urged Premier League clubs to follow suit — not just for coaching staff but for board appointments, too.
hughton, the only black manager in the Premier League, has been a long-term campaigner for change in the way football appoints its backroom staff.
he has regularly championed the use of the Rooney Rule which requires at least one black or ethnic minority candidate to be included on every interview shortlist. Now, after the FA added their backing, he wants the process accelerated to include top-level clubs.
hughton said: ‘I feel that for the FA to make the decision they have made is something that’s very promising and very worthwhile.
‘Premier League clubs are the next stage. All we want is for progress to be made and eventually to see more black and ethnic coaches at the higher levels.’
hughton doesn’t want the rule to affect coaching staff alone, however. he added: ‘We are working in a multicultural environment, so we want the right representation at the top levels of the game, too. That includes management, decision makers and CEOs. That’s what everybody would want.’
Brighton, who have appointed hope Powell as manager of their women’s team and Paul Nevin as first-team coach, have led the way in giving black and ethnic minority coaches an equal chance.
hughton would happily adopt the Rooney Rule himself.
he said: ‘It would be something that I would think of. Looking at the staff I have here, Paul Trollope was someone who worked with me before so it was a natural one when I needed someone at short notice.
‘But Paul Nevin was someone who I hadn’t worked with directly before. he was one of three or four who I spoke with and decided to give the job to.’
Meanwhile, Brighton midfielder Steve Sidwell has been ruled out for the rest of the season after breaking his ankle in training, just as he was about to return from a back problem. The news comes days after Izzy Brown also suffered a serious knee injury and returned to parent club Chelsea.
hughton said: ‘It’s a blow for us and a blow for Steve. he’s had a small fracture in his ankle which has been operated on.’