Racism in recruitment at the highest level of the football industry is still a major problem, the Commission for Racial Equality said today.
Despite the large number of black players in top clubs, those who run the game are almost all white, according to a new report from the Commission.
The report found that less than 1% of positions off the field and - in board rooms, management and coaching staff - are held by non-whites, while less than 2% of supporters on the terraces are from ethnic minorities.
And 75% of clubs have informal recruitment practices, meaning that "if your face fits, you get the job".
There are no non-white members of the FA board or the 92-strong FA council and only one Premier League club reported having a non-white board director.
Absence
The report also found that while black players predominate at every level of the game, there are hardly any Asian or Chinese players at any level or in any age group.
The vast majority of professional football league clubs do not give their staff any training in equal opportunities, and in the Premier League only 32% of clubs trained their staff.
Trevor Phillips, chair of the CRE, said: "Football's authorities and clubs are not taking racism seriously.
"They are clearly not doing enough to promote equal opportunities off the pitch and remove the barriers that prevent ethnic minorities working at all levels of the sport.
"And despite efforts by clubs and organisations, racism still remains a problem on the terraces and prevents black and Asian supporters going along to matches to support their teams."
He added: "It is essential that those in charge of the football industry realise that addressing racial equality is a necessity, not an option."
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British football is riven with racism from top to bottom. The CRE have provided evidence in this article of institutional racism in the FA. In the professional game itself, casual racism is dressed up as training ground humour to legitimise it. Anybody who is involved in football on any level will have experienced this form of 'fun' at some time or other. As for football fans, you need only attend a football ground to hear casual racist remarks from spectators. One is reminded of the England v Turkey match earlier this year. Which brings me to the question that I have been asking for a number of years. Why do english fans sing 'God Save The Queen' at international matches? Why was it sung with particular vigour at the England v Wales match on Saturday? Why do english fans sing their national anthem during the match when no other country does it? Is it to support the team? Is it to remind the likes of the welsh or the french or the irish of its supposed inferiority to their english masters? I think I know the answer. Im sure the appropriate term is 'xenophobia' or, in other words, fear of jonny foreigner. In effect, another word for racism.
Listening to this issue being discussed on the radio this morning, has anyone considered the fact that the low number of Asian players may be a result of the Asian football leagues that were frequently mentioned?
People wonder why the good players in these leagues aren't picked up - well consider this:
If you were a scout who has to choose which game to watch, either a non-segregated league which contains players from (potentially) all parts of the local/national talent pool, or the Asian league which contains talent from only a small percentage of that pool, which would you choose to spend you valuable time on?
Statistics would surely suggest looking at the game with the largest talent pool to choose from as you are likely to see more decent players.
Whether there is/was an issue as to why there was need within the community to set up Asian leagues in the first place, and whether more work needs to be done to bring these players into "mainstream" competition rather than segrating themselves - undoubtedly yes.
But this does not necessarily mean that football is racist.
If you LOOK REALLY REALLY HARD YOU MIGHT THINK YOU HAVE SEEN SOMETHING... AS IN YOUR CASE Paul Mack
"Why do English fans sing their national anthem during the match when no other country does it? Is it to support the team?"(God save the queen is the English football anthem)
I think in this cases its because what else should they bloody sing.. Scots sing Flower of Scotland all the bloody time as its their football Anthem.....One of the main attractions for UK football is the singing and atmosphere don't mess with things that are not broke eh
I do not think that racisms is a problem of football only, but a problem of our society in general. It's getting better but there's still a long way to go, and the sheer fact that we are here talking about it will make us more aware of the problem and eventually we'll do something more about it. I totally agree (and I think is shame) that a lot of minorities are scared away from the terraces because of racisms. About our players singing the anthem I have to say that I'm half Scottish (and protestant) and half Italian (catholic) but I was born and raised in Lancashire and that is my land. I'm an Englishman (even if neither of my parents are) and when England plays I sing "god save the queen" at the top of my voice, and the fact that the lads (whatever their color is) sing just shows their pride for their country and their pride in representing their country in front of the world. If they didn't show that pride I would question their commitment.
Blue blood. Agree with your sentiments about singing at football matches. I too love the banter and the good natured slagging each other off. Unfortunately, I have to say as a non english national, I find the singing of the national anthem by fans during a match a little sinister given its right wing meaning. No problems with the anthem at the start of the match but...
By the way Stu, you havent addressed the question of 'why' asian football teams segregate themselves....