In the past few days, you may have noticed how a fair few football journalists in the UK have been compellingly banging the drum for the NFL’s ‘Rooney Rule’ to be introduced into English football. This comes fresh off the back of news that America civil rights lawyer, Cyrus Mehri, one of the men credited with playing a significant role in its development, has been meeting with various footballing organisations across the country, in order that something with be done about the distinct lack of black managers currently plying their trade in this country.
Before we go any further, allow me a moment to explain the basic history behind the Rooney Rule and what exactly it entails. Named after the Pittsburgh Steelers owner, Dan Rooney, chairman of the NFL’s diversity committee and one of the rule’s main advocates, the Rooney Rule was introduced to the league in 2003, in an effort to do something about the distinct lack of ethnic minorities in head coaching positions. Initially met with a fair amount of backlash and scepticism, the NFL soon warmed to the idea and, seven years on, despite continued doubt over its impact, many within league circles appear to be of the opinion that the rule’s introduction has been a success. The rule in no way forces any owner to hire a particular candidate, based on the colour of their skin, it merely stipulates that all National Football League teams must interview at least one minority candidate for head coaching and senior football operations positions, even if already have a clear idea in mind of who they wish to appoint. Many would label this as racial tokenism and a largely pointless procedure, with teams forced to interview individuals they have no intention of hiring, but the supporters of the rule see it in a different light. They argue that, even if the odds may well be stacked firmly against certain black candidates, the Rooney Rule at least gives them a chance to truly familiarize themselves with the interview process and get their name out there as potential future head coaches. Furthermore, dark horses often emerge during such processes and it’s not uncommon to see an outsider earn the job on the basic of a strong interview.
However, my personal gripe lies in the fact that the majority of football journalists who have tackled this subject recently appear to have come to the conclusion that the Rooney Rule’s introduction to British football would instantly result in a wave of fresh, young Black British managers entering the game; a widely flawed assessment, especially when the rules effectiveness in the NFL is still largely under question. Even one of the most successful and respected head coaches in league history, the now retired Tony Dungy, who became the first Black American head coach to win the Super Bowl when his Indianapolis Colts defeated the Chicago Bears in 2007, believes that the Rooney Rule has largely failed to work as it was intended, highlighting how owners have often already decided on who to appoint in advance of interviewing the required minority candidate. Evidently, while certain teams may, in principle, be playing by the rules, it’s far from in the spirit of what the likes of Mehri and others had originally intended to achieve.
While there has been a significant increase in the number of black head coaches in the NFL since the Rooney Rule’s introduction (up from just two, in 2002, to seven by the beginning of 2006 season; an increase of over 15% and, at close to 22%, significantly higher than the average population of black or African Americans across the United States), most put this fact down more to coincidence than the actual influence of the rule; many of them highly talented coaches, who would have emerged through the ranks regardless of the Rooney Rule’s support. This seemingly highlights how the rule is still seen as a mostly unnecessary piece of legislation, especially in our largely tolerant modern-day society. The best coaches seem to rise to the top, irrespective of their ethnic background, and those black coaches who possess the skills to succeed at the highest level will simply appear in due time.
In England at least, the main issue appears not to be that black candidates are being ignored for managerial positions, but that there just aren’t any candidates out there at the moment, making it difficult for the Rooney Real to have any real effect. Unlike in the NFL, where, even prior to 2003, many black Americans filled lower-ranking coaching positions across teams of the league, England noticeably suffers from a distinct lack of black coaches in general, not just in managerial positions but also amongst the backroom staff of clubs, the place where these potential future managers should be sharpening their skills. The common explanation for this is typically that former black players are hesitant to start off on the coaching ladder, believing it’ll ultimately amount to little in the future, or that they fear they won’t be taken seriously by their peers. Again, I find it somewhat hard to believe that this would genuinely be the case nowadays. Compared to twenty years ago, English football has made huge strides in fighting racial prejudices and you’d think it out of the question for a chairman these days to turn away an applicant based solely on the colour of their skin (and if they did do such a thing, there’s certainly no place for them in football). However, if many of these potential black coaches do still harbour such beliefs of prejudice and preconception then it is difficult to see how the introduction of the Rooney Rule could help in this matter. Much like a lot of the sentiment in the US, one has to imagine that many would still regard the chance of an interview as a fruitless task, one carried out simply to satisfy legislation and which will do little to enhance their employability, despite what advocates of the Rooney Rule may say. What needs to be done first and foremost is to shift this false sentiment, amongst potential black coaches, that they face less chance of landing a job within English football than any similarly qualified white candidate. If such opportunities offered with the Rooney Rule can have this effect then the sooner its introduction the better, though I remain sceptical that it would do much to discourage this mind sight.
Furthermore there’s a strong argument to be made that the Rooney Rule’s introduction to English football could potentially devalue a black manager’s credibility and also make them an easy target for criticism, especially with our sensationalism-driven media. Borrowing an example from another sport, throughout his international career, South African cricketer, Ashwell Prince, constantly faced severe criticism and claims that he was only in the side so as to fulfil the country’s ‘quota system’, a position which would leave any player both frustrated and embarrassed. While the Rooney Rule may have nothing to do with enforcing quotas, it’s easy to foresee how any underachieving black manager could face similar accusations and claims that he is only in the job because of the colour of his skin. If we want to delve further into this ‘affirmative action’ argument, let’s taking something like a doctor-patient relationship. An individual wants to know that the person handling their care can offer them the best treatment possible, not some lesser-skilled alternative, and legislation such as the Rooney Rule throws in this degree of uncertainty. Obviously, this is an example which goes into territory much more serious than football, where potential lives could be compromised, but it simply provides some food for thought over such legislation and attitudes towards it.
Ultimately, the Rooney Rule’s basic premise is of course one with great intentions but it is also filled with clear flaws and decidedly tough to manage as intended. In the grand scheme of things, I find myself struggling to see how it could truly help or affect the landscape of English football for black managers but then perhaps I’m just being naïve. I, for one, didn’t think twice about Chris Powell’s skin colour when he was appointed Charlton manager this year, but then I’m certainly not a member of a football club’s board, or the average working-class football fan, that goes to games home and away, week in week out. Maybe there really does still exist this ‘old-boys network’ across football boardrooms in England, with a prehistoric attitude which desperately needs shifting, in which case the Rooney Rule can surely only be a positive step towards shifting preconceptions. It obviously does not hurt to try and experiment with such measures and, in the near future, I’d not be at all surprised if some kind of rule was brought into English football. It’s somewhat difficult however to share this grand optimism with members of the British press, who seem to believe that the Rooney Rule would be the obvious solution to the problem, when the issues surrounding black managers in our game are clearly more complicated than these journalists make them out to be.
Before we go any further, allow me a moment to explain the basic history behind the Rooney Rule and what exactly it entails. Named after the Pittsburgh Steelers owner, Dan Rooney, chairman of the NFL’s diversity committee and one of the rule’s main advocates, the Rooney Rule was introduced to the league in 2003, in an effort to do something about the distinct lack of ethnic minorities in head coaching positions. Initially met with a fair amount of backlash and scepticism, the NFL soon warmed to the idea and, seven years on, despite continued doubt over its impact, many within league circles appear to be of the opinion that the rule’s introduction has been a success. The rule in no way forces any owner to hire a particular candidate, based on the colour of their skin, it merely stipulates that all National Football League teams must interview at least one minority candidate for head coaching and senior football operations positions, even if already have a clear idea in mind of who they wish to appoint. Many would label this as racial tokenism and a largely pointless procedure, with teams forced to interview individuals they have no intention of hiring, but the supporters of the rule see it in a different light. They argue that, even if the odds may well be stacked firmly against certain black candidates, the Rooney Rule at least gives them a chance to truly familiarize themselves with the interview process and get their name out there as potential future head coaches. Furthermore, dark horses often emerge during such processes and it’s not uncommon to see an outsider earn the job on the basic of a strong interview.
However, my personal gripe lies in the fact that the majority of football journalists who have tackled this subject recently appear to have come to the conclusion that the Rooney Rule’s introduction to British football would instantly result in a wave of fresh, young Black British managers entering the game; a widely flawed assessment, especially when the rules effectiveness in the NFL is still largely under question. Even one of the most successful and respected head coaches in league history, the now retired Tony Dungy, who became the first Black American head coach to win the Super Bowl when his Indianapolis Colts defeated the Chicago Bears in 2007, believes that the Rooney Rule has largely failed to work as it was intended, highlighting how owners have often already decided on who to appoint in advance of interviewing the required minority candidate. Evidently, while certain teams may, in principle, be playing by the rules, it’s far from in the spirit of what the likes of Mehri and others had originally intended to achieve.
While there has been a significant increase in the number of black head coaches in the NFL since the Rooney Rule’s introduction (up from just two, in 2002, to seven by the beginning of 2006 season; an increase of over 15% and, at close to 22%, significantly higher than the average population of black or African Americans across the United States), most put this fact down more to coincidence than the actual influence of the rule; many of them highly talented coaches, who would have emerged through the ranks regardless of the Rooney Rule’s support. This seemingly highlights how the rule is still seen as a mostly unnecessary piece of legislation, especially in our largely tolerant modern-day society. The best coaches seem to rise to the top, irrespective of their ethnic background, and those black coaches who possess the skills to succeed at the highest level will simply appear in due time.
In England at least, the main issue appears not to be that black candidates are being ignored for managerial positions, but that there just aren’t any candidates out there at the moment, making it difficult for the Rooney Real to have any real effect. Unlike in the NFL, where, even prior to 2003, many black Americans filled lower-ranking coaching positions across teams of the league, England noticeably suffers from a distinct lack of black coaches in general, not just in managerial positions but also amongst the backroom staff of clubs, the place where these potential future managers should be sharpening their skills. The common explanation for this is typically that former black players are hesitant to start off on the coaching ladder, believing it’ll ultimately amount to little in the future, or that they fear they won’t be taken seriously by their peers. Again, I find it somewhat hard to believe that this would genuinely be the case nowadays. Compared to twenty years ago, English football has made huge strides in fighting racial prejudices and you’d think it out of the question for a chairman these days to turn away an applicant based solely on the colour of their skin (and if they did do such a thing, there’s certainly no place for them in football). However, if many of these potential black coaches do still harbour such beliefs of prejudice and preconception then it is difficult to see how the introduction of the Rooney Rule could help in this matter. Much like a lot of the sentiment in the US, one has to imagine that many would still regard the chance of an interview as a fruitless task, one carried out simply to satisfy legislation and which will do little to enhance their employability, despite what advocates of the Rooney Rule may say. What needs to be done first and foremost is to shift this false sentiment, amongst potential black coaches, that they face less chance of landing a job within English football than any similarly qualified white candidate. If such opportunities offered with the Rooney Rule can have this effect then the sooner its introduction the better, though I remain sceptical that it would do much to discourage this mind sight.
Furthermore there’s a strong argument to be made that the Rooney Rule’s introduction to English football could potentially devalue a black manager’s credibility and also make them an easy target for criticism, especially with our sensationalism-driven media. Borrowing an example from another sport, throughout his international career, South African cricketer, Ashwell Prince, constantly faced severe criticism and claims that he was only in the side so as to fulfil the country’s ‘quota system’, a position which would leave any player both frustrated and embarrassed. While the Rooney Rule may have nothing to do with enforcing quotas, it’s easy to foresee how any underachieving black manager could face similar accusations and claims that he is only in the job because of the colour of his skin. If we want to delve further into this ‘affirmative action’ argument, let’s taking something like a doctor-patient relationship. An individual wants to know that the person handling their care can offer them the best treatment possible, not some lesser-skilled alternative, and legislation such as the Rooney Rule throws in this degree of uncertainty. Obviously, this is an example which goes into territory much more serious than football, where potential lives could be compromised, but it simply provides some food for thought over such legislation and attitudes towards it.
Ultimately, the Rooney Rule’s basic premise is of course one with great intentions but it is also filled with clear flaws and decidedly tough to manage as intended. In the grand scheme of things, I find myself struggling to see how it could truly help or affect the landscape of English football for black managers but then perhaps I’m just being naïve. I, for one, didn’t think twice about Chris Powell’s skin colour when he was appointed Charlton manager this year, but then I’m certainly not a member of a football club’s board, or the average working-class football fan, that goes to games home and away, week in week out. Maybe there really does still exist this ‘old-boys network’ across football boardrooms in England, with a prehistoric attitude which desperately needs shifting, in which case the Rooney Rule can surely only be a positive step towards shifting preconceptions. It obviously does not hurt to try and experiment with such measures and, in the near future, I’d not be at all surprised if some kind of rule was brought into English football. It’s somewhat difficult however to share this grand optimism with members of the British press, who seem to believe that the Rooney Rule would be the obvious solution to the problem, when the issues surrounding black managers in our game are clearly more complicated than these journalists make them out to be.
