FIFA VP Jeffrey Webb said that Premier League club owners "must ensure black managers are given a chance to succeed and one solution could be to introduce the NFL’s 'Rooney Rule,'" according to Michael Hann of REUTERS. A law whereby at least one black or ethnic minority candidate must be interviewed for every head coaching job "has been in force in the NFL" since '03 after it was pushed forward by Pittsburgh Steelers Owner Dan Rooney. League Championship side Carlisle United’s Keith Curle and League Two side Huddersfield Town's Chris Powell "are the only two black managers throughout the 92 professional clubs in the Premier and Football Leagues." Webb told delegates at the Leaders in Sport Convention at Stamford Bridge that "it is the responsibility of Premier League owners -- and not FIFA -- to employ black managers." Webb, who is the head of FIFA's Anti-Discrimination Task Force, said, "The Rooney Rule has been great. It has been tremendous, but in this era, in this century, should we really have to mandate opportunities for qualified individuals? Sadly, the answer is yes. ... I don’t think FIFA can regulate that. I think it has to come from within. It has to start with the ownership and of course the fans have to demand it" (
REUTERS, 10/8). In London, Owen Gibson wrote Professional Footballers’ Association CEO Gordon Taylor recently said that racism was a "hidden problem" in English football, making his own call for the Rooney Rule to be introduced. Webb responded, "I don’t know how it could be hidden. You have 92 clubs, you have two coaches of color. How many board members or executives are in various club positions or at the FA, in UEFA? So, it’s not hidden. It’s hidden from a discussion standpoint. No-one wants to deal with it. No-one wants to deal with it from a commercial standpoint" (
GUARDIAN, 10/8).
