BRIGHTON CHIEF’S OFFER HUGHTON: I’M HERE TO HELP REFORM THE FA
Prem’s only black boss on the crisis engulfing football
CHRIS HUGHTON has told FA chiefs he can rescue their reputation – after the shocking complaints that England players were racially abused.
English football’s governing body has been dragged through the mire yet again for the way it dealt with complaints that Eni Aluko (below) and Drew Spence were racially abused while on England duty.
FA chairman Greg Clarke has since apologised to both players and England manager Mark Sampson has been en sacked.
Now Brighton t on boss Hughton, the only nly black manager in the Premier League, has offered fered to help – if the FA gets on the blower.
“There i s no doubt it’s been a difficult time for r the FA and I don’t need to add any more to what we’ve all heard this week,” he said, ahead of this lunchtime’s kick-off against Southampton at the Amex.
“But what they need to do – whether it’s through myself or other people in the game – is to get as much knowledge and help as possible.
“There are lots of people in the game who very much want to see a game that is inclusive to everybody – and of course to see our biggest organisation making as many good decisions as possible.
Inclusive
“Certainly, if there’s any help I might be ab able to give then of cour course I would be perfectly willing to do so.” Hughton Hughton, a former To Tott t t e n h a m and Ireland def defender with 40 years of experience in footb football, is one of the t game’s top managers ha having gu guided Brighton to promotion last year. But he has also gained a reputation for his interest in politics and issues of equality. So he has been following the Aluko case closely.
He said: “I watched everything that went on last week of course. I think most people in football have a strong interest in it and we all want more good decisions than bad ones from our national organisation.
“I don’t want to add much more but what I do think is that the two girls in question, in a very daunting e n v i ro n m e n t , handled themselves and spoke very, very well.
“They have been through it for quite some time and they are the ones who are very much in my thoughts.”
Brighton are regarded as one of the more enlightened clubs in English football and currently have two black and minority managers – Hughton in charge of the men’s team and Hope Powell in charge of the women. “From the day that I’ve walked in I’ve found it that way here,” said Hughton. “It’s a very good club, a very open club. “We want this club to be as open and inclusive and multi-cultural as possible. I’ve only had good experiences, so far.”
On the pitch, Brighton face Southampton on the back of a 3-0 away win at West Ham – and Hughton has high hopes for winger Jose Izquierdo who made a slow start after a £16million move from Belgian club Brugge but scored a stunner at the London Stadium.
“We can expect more from him definitely,” he said. “The good news is he’s on the back of not just a good goal but a good performance at West Ham too.”