Clubs must stop operating an “old boys’ network” and use objective processes to recruit managers and coaches, Kick It Out chief executive Tony Burnett has said.
A report from the Black Footballers Partnership in March found the number of management-related positions held by black employees rose by eight in 2022 compared with the previous year, from 49 among 1,338 individuals (3.7 per cent) to 57 individuals out of 1,304 in 2023 (4.4 per cent).
There are currently no black or minority ethnic managers in the Premier League following the sacking of Patrick Vieira at Crystal Palace.
Kick It Out wants football’s new independent regulator to oversee equality standards as part of a code of football governance and to compel clubs to share representation and recruitment data, with Burnett insisting far too much in football is going on in the shadows.
“Football is one of the last bastions of the old boys’ network, to be absolutely frank,” he told the PA news agency at the Include Summit in Manchester.
“It’s a tap on the shoulder quite often, who you know rather than what you know.
“When you look at the representation across football, what’s really clear is there is a myth of meritocracy.
“The best people aren’t getting jobs, whichever way you look at this, the best people, the most qualified people, are very frequently not getting the jobs. And so we want fair representation.”
Kick It Out wants to work with the football authorities to put an objective assessment process in place which guides recruiters, as happens in other industries like the financial sector.
“When clubs are recruiting a manager they would have a definitive list to pick from – people who’ve been through an objective process – rather than going off the recommendations of a mate of a mate, or an agent, and that’s what we’ve got to stop,” Burnett added.
“Football is one of the last industries around where a tap on the shoulder and who you know seems to drive your career path.
“It’s far too informal and it’s against modern recruitment standards. You’re not going to get the best people if it’s done in a way that isn’t objective.”
The Government’s White Paper on football governance published in February proposed that equality, diversity and inclusion would fall outside the new regulator’s immediate scope.
The paper said: “The industry has taken on greater accountability and the Government will continue to support reform in this space.”
However, Kick It Out and Burnett are insistent EDI matters must form part of the regulator’s final remit and is “expectant and determined” that they will.
“Football has been marking its own homework in this space for a long time,” he said.
“When football says ‘actually, leave us alone, we’re gonna get this right’ – well you haven’t got it right in the last 30 years so we’ve got no confidence you’re going to get it right now.
“This is a huge opportunity for us to put some compliance mechanisms around football to get it right.”
Burnett insists there remain big gaps in data related to EDI, both in terms of representation and the reporting of discrimination.
“We’ve got lots of different mechanisms in reporting when it comes to fan behaviour, 92 clubs all with separate reporting mechanisms, (Kick It Out) have a reporting mechanism, lots of other organisations do, but we never have a full picture of the data because the clubs aren’t mandated to share that,” he said.
“More importantly for us, we have no idea what the culture is like within the football environment.
“Because there is no compulsion for clubs to share internal discrimination reports, employee to employee for example, or employee against line manager, we have no idea what the extent of the problem is within football, and so we’ve no idea what sort of cultural problem we’ve got to tackle.
“It’s all right tackling diversity, but if we don’t try and make football a more inclusive culture, then there’s no point bringing more (diverse) people in, because they will leave.”
Thomas Tuchel warns Bayern Munich that RB Leipzig will be ‘dangerous’ opposition
Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel says Saturday’s opponents RB Leipzig are a “dangerous” proposition for his team.
Leipzig have won their last two encounters with Bayern, including the season-opening DFL-Supercup last month.
Tuchel’s men have recovered well to lead the Bundesliga with 13 points from their opening five matches, with England striker Harry Kane’s seven goals spurring them on.
Leipzig sit a point and three places further back, but the trip to Saxony will arguably present the toughest challenge yet to Bayern in this season’s Bundesliga campaign.
“They’re dangerous as a collective, very unified as a team,” Tuchel said of Leipzig at his pre-match press conference.
“Leipzig are very clear in their processes, we fully recognise their qualities.
“We’ve lost our last two games against them, which hurt. We’ve been on a good run since the Supercup defeat, and now it’s about backing that up.
“The mood is good, the mentality is right. The time has come to turn the tables, but it will certainly be difficult.
“We’ve been very focused and confident in the last few games. Now it’s another step up. Leipzig have a very strong squad.
“They’ve managed changes well. They’ve beaten us recently, which we don’t like.
“It’s about coming up with a response and continuing from where we’ve left off recently. We know it’s a difficult task, but we’re confident enough to say we’re going to Leipzig to win.”
Bayern are set to be able to call on former Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano, along with fellow defender Kim Min-Jae and attacker Thomas Muller after they trained with no adverse effects this week following injuries.
Forward Serge Gnabry is set to miss out with an arm injury, while Dutch defender Matthijs De Ligt suffered a knee injury in the 7-0 victory over Bochum last weekend and is also expected to be out.
Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer returned to partial training for the first time this week since his leg fracture in a skiing accident last winter, but is still some way off making a return to playing.
Tuchel added on Neuer: “It’s very good news. Manu did a partial integration. It wasn’t an intense session and he did parts of it. We mustn’t get carried away. It’s another step.
“Once he’s fully in training things can progress quickly, but he’s still some way off that.”
Amadou Haidara has trained following a muscle injury to be available for Leipzig, but Timo Werner will miss out due to a back problem.
Willi Orban and Dani Olmo are absent due to injuries suffered on international duty, while El Chadaille Bitshiabu is still sidelined by a medial ligament tear.
Vinicius Junior will start for Real Madrid at surprise LaLiga leaders Girona
Vinicius Junior will start his first game since August as Real Madrid attempt to dethrone early LaLiga leaders Girona on Saturday.
The 23-year-old Brazil international was used as a second-half substitute in Wednesday evening’s 2-0 home win over Las Palmas on his return from a hamstring injury, but manager Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed he will return to the starting line-up at the weekend.
Ancelotti told a press conference: “He’s fine and he’s going to play from the beginning. Then we’ll see how many minutes he can last – maybe 90, but it depends on what I ask him to do.
“I see him very well, fully recovered, and he’s going to contribute to us. We’re not going to change the system, but modify some details to be more successful and solid.”
Vinicius has not started a game since the 1-0 win at Celta Vigo on August 25, and sat out four fixtures – including last Sunday’s 3-1 derby defeat at Atletico Madrid – as a result of his injury.
His return comes as defender David Alaba prepares to sit out at the Estadi Montilivi with a muscle problem suffered in midweek.
The fixture brings together the sides currently lying in first and second places in the fledgling table with the hosts having won their last six after an opening-day draw at Real Sociedad.
Ancelotti said: “We have to play a complete game in the sense that the team has to have balance: defend well and with the ball show the quality we have to do damage.
“We are alert because of how well Girona are playing at the moment. Last time we went there, it wasn’t a good night, and the same thing won’t happen tomorrow.
“Girona is playing very well, but we have a good chance of winning the game.”
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Last season’s visit to Girona in April ended in a 4-2 defeat in which Valentin Castellanos scored all four goals for the home side.
Ancelotti said: “We are doing well and we are playing an important game against the leader. We will try to do our best and arrive with a good dynamic.
“The team is a little tired, but excited. We’re going to do it well.”
Manchester United suffer Lisandro Martinez injury blow
Manchester United have announced Lisandro Martinez will be sidelined for an “extended period” after aggravating the foot injury he suffered towards the end of last season.
The Argentina defender sustained a fractured metatarsal in April’s Europa League quarter-final first leg against Sevilla, keeping him out for around two months.
Martinez is now looking at a similar timescale after United confirmed he had suffered a setback.
The club said: “Lisandro Martinez will be out of action for an extended period due to an aggravation of the foot injury he suffered in April.
“The Argentinian defender experienced the setback in our Premier League game against Arsenal earlier this month.
“Martinez bravely continued playing for the following two games against Brighton and Bayern Munich.
“But it has now been determined that he needs a period on the sidelines for recovery and rehabilitation. Assessment is ongoing to decide next steps.”
United have a number of injury issues to deal with and have confirmed Sergio Reguilon will be among those absent against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The club said: “Sergio Reguilon will also be absent from this Saturday’s Premier League game against Crystal Palace with a minor injury.”
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