RACISM BATTLE IMPASSE
IT was around 20 years ago that Les Ferdinand and Gary Bennett sat together on a London panel calling for more diversity amongst football’s movers and shakers.
They might as well have saved their breath because today they both feel exasperated, believing that little has changed.
A recent survey revealed that 43 percent of players in the Premier League and 34 percent in the EFL are black.
Only 4.4 percent go on to coach or manage, while just 1.6 percent take on leadership positions.
Former Spurs and Newcastle striker Ferdinand contributes to the latter in his role as QPR’s director of football.
But he said: “If I’m not as successful at QPR as I want to be for what ever circumstances, I’ll never get another opportunity to do this job.
“Yet I see (white) directors of football that have left one club, go to another, and continue their careers.
“The FA keeps putting initiatives in but it’s all talking. I’ve been having conversations with the FA for 30 years and nothing’s changed.”
It is why Ferdinand, Bennett (right) and other former black players are coming together to try and bring about change.
Ex-Sunderland defender Bennett explained: “The problem is the people making the decisions haven’t got any experience or real understanding of the situation and many don’t see it as a problem.
“If the people at the top are oblivious of what should be staring them in the face then how is it going to change?
“For instance, take a look at the people who sit on the FA boards.
“I would say at least 95 percent, maybe even more, are white.
Ferdinand added: “You’ve got no one in the FA in any position of power of colour. There’s Paul Elliott but what does he do?”
Bennett agrees, saying: “Look at the England setup. Gareth Southgate is brilliant, he is well aware of our drive for greater diversity.
“They brought Chris Powell in and everyone goes ‘fantastic, that’s all right. No one can say we haven’t got any black coaches’.
“It baffles me that many black players are idolised but how many of them go on to be coaches or managers or end up in boardrooms?
“About 20 years ago Les and I sat on a panel in London talking about racism and we’re still on the same subject without any real movement.”