Patrick Vieira who is currently the only black manager in the English Premier League has spoken on the need why black managers are to be provided the opportunity to thrive. The former manager since taking over Crystal Palace has used around 80% of blacks players in his starting lineup for Premier League games. He further said that black coaches need to be encouraged and fused into the system, as they are as good as others.
According to BBC Sports, a new report shows that 43% of Premier League and 34% of EFL players are black, but only 4.4% of managers.
“We have to provide opportunities to people of colour,” Vieira told Alex Howell on the BBC’s Football News Show.
“We are as good as anybody else. And we need to have no more or less opportunity than anybody else.
“When you are looking at the top five leagues in the world, and you’re looking at the number of black coaches you have in the first or second division, it is not enough.
“There is a lack of opportunity there. There is a lack of connection from black players to connect ourselves a little more with people who are making the decisions.
“But overall, I believe that the doors are not open for us to do what we can do and to go into management. When I talk about management, I’m talking about the team, but I’m also talking about the higher level as well.
“We need to be given more opportunities to show that we are as good as anybody else.”
Vieira said it was encouragement from Manchester City managing director Brian Marwood as he finished his playing career that led him into management.
“I spoke a lot with Brian Marwood, and he made me understand that having the career I had as a player wasn’t enough,” he said.
“I decided to go through my [coaching] badges and to start with Manchester City Under-21s and to go to New York. I needed to build that credibility as well as the experience to really believe in myself that this is what I wanted to do.
“I had good people around me who gave me the platform to learn and to make mistakes, and today to be at Palace with belief and confidence in my ability to be a good manager.”
